The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-02
LET TRUSTS ALONE. ;"
President of Cornell Sees. Much Good
in Combines.

New York, Aug. Jacob Gould
Schurman, president of Cornell univer-
to be regulated by natural laws. He
thinks competition and public opinion
will do the work without legislation he
says trusts, ordinarily reduce the cost
lie the benefit of it. The trust evil be-
gins when exorbitant prices are charg-
ed, and incidentally Mr.. Schurman takes
a slap at the beef trust.
The president of Cornell was discuss
ing the chances of young men making
their way in the world, and he told the
interviewer that trusts have many $4,000
and $4,000 jobs waiting for the right
kind of men to fill them.
Il hear great deal about the
trusts" said DIR. Schurman, land their
tendency to monopolize industry, with
the result that the young man of today
two sides and both are worth studying.
These great industrial combinations
have been built up by brains and they
cannot continue to exist without brains.
The Standard Oil company, created by
the brains of John D. Rockefeller, is
willing to pay any sum for brains.
THE vice president of one of the
largest manufacturing concerns in
the world told me not long ago that
while there was no difficulty in find
ing men to do the work of the rank
and file, it was a great deal of trouble
to fill positions of a superior sort de-
handing men of special training. He
explained that he meant positions
paying from $4,000 to $4,000 year,
and he added, to my astonishment,
that the company had thirty or forty
such positions for which it was ex-
tremely difficult to find the right men.
such a state of affairs as that
would seem to indicate that the trust
question has another side in it's bear
ing on the future of the young man
seeking a start in life. 1t is true that
owing to changed industrial conditions
the young man of today has little or
no opportunity to establish himself in
a business of his own In former days
he would have started as a farmer or
business man or what not. And ne
probably would have failed.
Half of them did, you know. Now
his opportunity comes in the form of
wages, but the wages are good and the
prospects bright.
But is it not disadvantage for
man not to be on his own resources?
Yes, l think it is a disadvantage.
To be on ones own resources tends to
develop character. I should call the
a grave one, bearing on
character, rather than an economic one
bearing on prosperity"
Otherwise you see nothing but good
in the trusts ?'
"Oh. that is very rash inference"
exclaimed Mr.. Schurman, with a laugh.
Il don't think I nave said anything to
justify that. No thoughtful person can |
ook at the coal trust in the light OF
meat trust in the light of the present
strike, and doubt that there is a great
langer-very great danger-in the trust
question. Where l see danger in it is |
where the trusts are tempted to become
nsolent to the point of lording it over
he public and making 1t pay exorbit- |
ant prices for the necessaries of life. |
Under ordinary conditions they cheaper I
he cost of production and the public |
should be the gamer. 1t is where the |
public is imposed on that the trust evil |
begins. The present condition of the |
1eef trade is a case in point. 1t is an |
Indoubted fact that trusts nave it in |
heir power to make the public pay ex- |
brilliant prices. I don't say that they |
Use that power despotically, but they |
have it. Now, in my opinion, |
here are only two effective regulators |
# that power: First, public opinion; |
second the possibility of competition.
Public opinion is d great force for
righteousness and no trust or other |
'orce can stand against it for very
ong. I care not how powerful 1T be, |
t cannot stand against public opinion.
And then, to the second regulator,
he fear of competition is almost al
ways present. A trust may run up
prices in a short time. but in doing so
t creates conditions which invite COM
petition. and the mere possibility of |
such a thing is sufficient to send prices
Town again"
$50 you believe the trust can be
;afely regulated by natural laws?"
Exactly he said. ct have far more
aith in those laws than in any at
empt at, legislative regulation. There
las been a great deal of legislation
IN the subject, but what is the net
'esult? OF course we have stopped
'ebates. and that is a good thing; but
part from that what has been done?
THE great danger" he went on, lis
n industries where the possibility of
competition is reduced to a minimum
'r almost eliminated. as in the case
If anthracite coal. That is the great
LANCER"