INVESTIGATING THE TRUST PROBLEM 105 



Second, what are the causes and the economic conditions to 

 which this movement may be attributed? Third, what forms 

 of organization have been adopted by the consolidations, the 

 reasons for the different forms in the different countries, the 

 economics and dangers of each? Fourth, what elements of 

 monopolistic power do these corporations possess? what are 

 the methods by which they attain their monopoly? are these 

 monopolies built upon government statutes, as, for example, 

 patents, tariffs, franchises, or upon the aid of other interests, 

 such as railroad discriminations, rebates, the factor system, 

 local cuts in prices; that is, is the monopoly power of the large 

 corporations based upon internal power or external favors? 

 Fifth, what measure of public regulation is desirable in order 

 that other interests may be safeguarded, that neither the con- 

 sumer nor the wage earner shall be unjustly oppressed by the 

 huge corporation? 



The act of the congress of 1898, establishing the indus- 

 trial commission, gave that body ample power and provided 

 it with the means and equipment necessary to accomplish its 

 purpose. The commission as appointed by President Mc Kin- 

 ley comprised an able body of men, all of whom were interested 

 in the work of the commission; they employed a competent 

 staff of experts in the several lines of inquiry, and were equip- 

 ped with facilities, clerks, and stenographers. The work is 

 therefore to be judged by its results with due regard for the 

 magnitude of the problem. What light has it shown upon 

 this question? Has it contributed facts that justify its exist- 

 ence; facts that are sufficient to furnish the basis for the 

 proper solution of the problem? 



The report of the industrial commission relating to trusts 

 comprises four volumes directly bearing upon this subject; 

 volumes one and thirteen upon the American trusts; volume 

 two upon trust and corporation laws; volume eighteen upon 

 European trusts and the laws relating to their regulation and 

 control. In addition to these volumes the commission has 

 published a large amount of matter bearing indirectly upon 

 this subject; thus, volumes seven and fourteen furnish infor- 

 mation in regard to the relations of capitalistic combination 

 to labor; volume twelve, to the great mining corporations; 



