Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-10-19
to the organization Of trusts. Is that

to the organization Of trusts. Is that
correetf
Mr.. Berger: I am not opposed to
the organization of trusts any more
than I am, opposed to the Atlantic
Ocean, or the Mississippi River, or, let
us say to anything that is a natural
outcome of conditions. I explained
that the trusts are the natural result
of industrial evolution, AND anything
that is the natural outcome of an in
dustrial development I am not opposed
to.
Mr.. Stanley: That is, that it fol-
lows inevitablyg
Mr.. Berger: That it follows inevita-
bly,.
Mr.. Stanley: Now, I want to ask
the gentleman this: Does the gentle
man favor the fixing of the price of
commodities, of these immense organ
izations engaged in interstate trade, by
the government
Mr.. Berger: Mr.. Chairman, I favor
it as a first step. 1t is only primary
1 understand Mr.. Gary Of the Steel
Trust is in favor of that.
Mr.. Stanley: I understand SO.
Mr.. Berger: And for the first time
in my life Mr.. Gary and I agree on
anything. But Twill also say it will
not help much. It proves, though, that
even the trust comedies that it has
grown to such dimensions that it has
become a quasi-public utility and that
it is no longer a private business. The
only solution, however, is the national
ownership of the trusts.
Mr.. Stanley: AS 1 understand the
gentleman, he speaks of the trusts as a
milestone in Industrial evolution.
Mr.. Berger: Yes, sir.
Mr. Stanley; In other words, the
Capitalization of the immense wealth
and energy of the steel business, for
instance, in the hands at least Of one
man, and the Capitalization OF the
Of wool in the hands OF
one man, and the manufacture of other
textiles, like cotton, in the hands of
one man, and the refining of sugar in
the hands of one man
Mr.. Berger: One concern.
Mr.. Stanley: should say one per
son, whether corporate or individual
that this will in short time place the
body Of the wealth Of this country and
the employment of all labor in this
country. in the hands Of few persons,
whether corporate or individual, and
then the government, as you say, should
fix the price of commodities of these
great concerns, and it will be step
from that until, instead of allowing
them with the price fixed by the gov
eminent to operate for the benefit OF
few individuals, they will be forced to
operate for the benefit of all mems
Mr.. Berger. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Stanley: And that will be the
easy step from the government control
as advocated by Judge Gary to Social
ism as advocated by yourself9
Mr.. Berger: That will be a very
natural step.
Mr.. Stanley: And an inevitable one.
Mr.. Berger: Nobody can regulate
another mans business. would hate
to regulate your property. The regu-
lation Of other peoples property is al
ways dubious thing to undertake.
The trust, however, is willing to part
with some of it's rights of ownership.
IF have a right to say how much you
shall get for your horse, have share
in that horse. As long as / can decide
for how much you may sell your house,
I have share in that house. And as
long as I can fix the prive for a coat,
I practically share in the ownership of
that coat. Now that the trust offers
an opportunity of ownership to the.
ownership, the government ought to ac-
cept. Complete ownership, however,
is the final solution.
Competition in s'Big Business Dead.
Mr.. Stanley: As I understand you,
there is little difference between the
position you take and the position
taken, for instance, by the United
States Steel Corporation, in this, that
competition is bad thing9
Mr.. Berger: It was not bad thing
in its day. In tbig bushes" it is
played out; It does not exist. 1t was a
good thing as long as economic co9di-
lions required it.
Mr.. Stanley: You spoke in your adj
dress Of the evils of competition and
the bad effects of it.
Mr.. Berger: Yes, sir.
Mr.. Stanley: And suppose that these
great industrial institutions, like the
United States Steel Corporation, for
instance, DelleVG IN dDU4isu4AS SVAAp ct4-
tion and fixing the price by agreement
or by law, the only difference between
the trusts and the Socialists is that the
trusts believe in having the govern
ment run their business for the benefit
Of the persons who own them and You
believe in having them run these great
corporations for the benefit of the peo-
pIea
Mr.. Berger. Yes, sir.
The Chairman: The time Of the gem
tleman from Wisconsin has expired.
Mr.. Cannon: I would like to ask
what are the views Of the gentleman
from Kentucky IMr. StanIeyl as to.
government ownership
The Chairman: The time Of the gem
tleman from Wisconsin Mr.. Berger
has expired.
Mr.. Stanley: ask permission to re-
ply to the gentleman from Illinois, if T
can hear him.