Little Falls herald., 1912-10-18


themselves as individuals by giving
free play to their energy and ability.
This is impossible in the shadow Of
monopoly. Everybody agrees that pri-
vate monopoly is an evil, and ought
to be abolished. But men differ as
to what constitutes the most fmpor-
tant feature of the evil, and in what
way the evil most harmfully affects So
ciety and the individual. And because
they differ as to the nature of the evil,
they differ as to the proper remedy.
Perspective Necessary to Proper Un-
derstanding.
No political problem has been the
subject of more cloudy thought than
the trust evil and it's cure. If you
want to see phenomenon clearly, you
must view it from a proper distance.
If you stand too far away, the details
cannot be seen. If you get too near,
you fail to get the outline and the pro-
portions. You must have both detail
and perspective if you are to get even
a fair understanding of it. This il
true of the trust question as much as
it is of any other question. This is
why those who are the farthest re-
moved from it's operation hardly notice
it's existence, while those who are di.
rectly engaged in trust-controlled busi-
ness are blind to it's real scope and
meaning.
The latter class is composed Of two
groups: A small one that through
ownership and control reaps all the
pecuniary benefits, and large group
composed to a great extent Of former
Independent producers and dealers
who have been reduced to the position
Of employees.
Those of the first-named group can
see no evil in monopoly, for they reap
all the advantages that flow from it..
You would hardly expect Rockefeller
to be frightened at the menace of the
Standard Oil Trust. You would not
expect a railroad magnate to see Or
feel any danger to the country from
his control of a large part of it's trans
portatiOn. You do not expect to hear
that the coal barons, the smelter trust,
or the steel corporation, views with
alarm the growth of these various CON-
binations. You would no more ex-
pect such a state of mind to develop
in these people than you would expect
the Gear to become alarmed at the ag-
gressions of the Russian Empire. Self
interest tends to blind them to any,
thing but the advantages of the trust
system.
Power Produces Arrogance.
And the Difference which the control
of great resources compels, tends to
magnify their Importance in their own
eyes. Louis XIV. said, "The State! I
am the State!" Our trust magnates
say-if not in words, they say in deeds
-"Business! We are business!"
1t follows that what helps us helps
business and industry, and what hurts
us hurts business and industry. The
workers, the employees, on the other
hand, seeing these huge combinations
operating with machinery and capital
50 vast in their proportions as to be
utterly beyond their reach of individ-
ual control, blame the. equipment.
They say it is the ownership of the
machinery which gives the trust mag
mates their power, and they call for
the ownership of the machinery by
the public as the panacea that will
cure the trust evil.
Trusts Rest Upon Monopoly OF Re-
sources and Transportation.
But when we understand that mon
opoly rests principally on the owner
ship of the natural resources and of
the means Of transportation, and al
ways on special privilege, it is quite
apparent that the ownership of the
equipment would be of no value. If I
could have the entire equipment of
the steel trust with the requirement
that operate it, while the iron mines
and the ore-carrying railroads remain
ed in other hands, I would not take
it as gift. l would know that the
equipment would soon revert to the
owners of the iron and the railroads.
The process would be as easy as the
shaking down of ripe apples in an
autumn storm.
Effect Of Monopoly on Morals.
While many economic evils flow
from the monopoly control of our in
not it's worst effects. These, while
they are to be regretted, are not fun
damental. They do not affect our
uOIdl CudIdCLcI DIS d pcOp1c. VudC
we need to fear more than all else
is the destruction of the spirit of in
dependence, which has been the
strongest and best characteristic of
Americans. Business and industry,
divided into moderate-sized units, fos-
ter and encourage independence Of
character, individuality, and courage,
develop the initiative, promote the
love of country, and sane, hopeful
attitude toward and faith in ones
fellowmen.
Monopoly, on the contrary, breeds
distrust, undermines independence,
compeIs uniformity, kills Initiative, dis.
courages frugality, smothers courage
and hope, bIights individuality, and
destroys the love Of home and country.
1t is inevitable that this should be SO.
Where is the incentive to initiative
when you have no power to carry out
your own plans or profit by your own
effects? Now can he be brave and in
dependent who depends upon the whim
of another for chance to earn his
daily breed and supply the needs Of
his family? Who can feel the spirit
of good will toward his fellowmen that