The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-04-18
THE TRUSTS OWN THIS COUNTRY

In his book entitled The Truth
About Trusts John Moody says thai
industrial, franchise and transporta
ton, is $20.379 1921. According tC
Mr.. Moody, the seven great industrial
trusts are the United States Steel cor
poration, the United States Tobacco
company, the American Smelling &
Refining company, the Amal@amatn(
Copper company, the international
Mercantile Marine, the American
Sugar company, and the Standard Oil
company. These seven companies
control 1928 plants and have an ag-
gregate capitalizati ton of 1862. 1872 100
Mr.. Moody also names 29S lesser in
dustrial trusts, controlling 1926 plants,
and having a total capitalization out
standing of $4,055 ,039 1873. He like
wise gives a list of 10 Industrial trusts
which are now in the process of re-
organization or readjustment.
These control 334 plants and have a
Otal capitalization of $52S.551 900.
ompany. the Consolidated Lake Su-
'erior company, the General Asphalt
ompany, the Consolidated Rubber
ire company, the International Fire
'ngine company, the International
lit company, the New England Cot
n Yarn company, the Pacific Packing
Navigation cOmapny. the United
ates Cotton Duck corporation, the
9ited States Realty and Construc-
N company, the United States Ship
Hiding company, the Virginia. Caro-
4 Chemical company. and the White
fountain Paper company.
Theer are, therefore, 31S important
industrial trusts in this country, con-
trolling 52SS plants, and having a to-
tai capitalization outstanding of 81
246.342, 533. The eight leading fran
y
are the American Bell Telephone COM
pany, 6the Western Union Telegraph
company, the Commercial Cable COM
pany. the Federal Telephone company.
the Consolidated Telephone company
the International Telephone company.
the Interstate Telephone company,
and the United Telephone and Tele-
graph company. These control 1876
plants and have a total capitalization
of 1929. ZOO 500. There are also 1913
leading gas, electric light and street
railway consultations, making total
of III important franchise trusts, con-
trolling 1886 plants, and having a total
outstanding capitalization of 3,735,-
456.O75.
There are six great steam railroad
groups. of which the Morgan group,
with a capitalization of $2.265. 1880.
is the largest, the others being the
Vanderbilt group, $1,169 1862. the
Pennsylvania group $1,S22. 402,235, the
Gould-Rockefeller group 1,36S,S77,54O,
the Hartman Kuhn, Loeb group ST.
321.243.111, and the Moore group ST.
010,250. 939, making a total of $9.017,-
0S6,901. There are also ten allied in
dependent railroad systems having a
capitalization of $3S0277.O 900.
All of these trusts exist in violation
Of state and national laws. They are
not chartered corporations. but illegal
combinations of corporations governed
by boards of directors elected without
authority of law by secret agreements
among trustees of the legally organ
lied corporations entering into mer-
ger. These trusts control the rail-
roads. the banks and the industrial
spstems and thus practically control
the business of the country. No Won
der these trusts We're able in 1896 to
contribute $10.0O0.0O0 to the CAMPAIGN
fund of the party of special privileges
granted under the name of "protection
to labor and to infant industries" In