56 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



Trusts imply organization, and so we 

 tmd all the great commercial interests 

 tlioroughly organized. Even where 

 they have not yet consolidated into 

 trusts, they are almost invariably or- 

 ganized beyond their mere corporate 

 limits. They pool their interests; at 

 least they work with the under- 

 standing that though not so pot- 

 ent to aid as when developed into 

 tlie real trust is yet very full of help- 

 ful influence. This co-operation is 

 wider and more general than consoli- 

 dation. Unwritten co-operation is wi- 

 der in its reach than most of us even 

 dream. In all our towns or cities three 

 01 more meat or milli carts traversing 

 the same street show liow consolida- 

 tion would ply a helpful oar. Co-op- 

 eration is already at work, for all sell 

 at the same price, and each, if ration- 

 al, regards the interests of the others. 

 The fact that livery hire in a largv 

 city is precisely the same at each 

 stable fcr like service shows how co- 

 operation is reaching out everywhere. 

 Uniform sleeping- car rates, and the 

 nickel car ride, are further evidence. 

 We cannot make all people generous 

 and unselHsh. We can hope for such 

 in the future, but we see a long stretch 

 between us and that. 



We can all organize and co-operate. 

 That is Avhat we must do. That is to 

 be the grand consummation of the 

 present century. The Magna Charta, 

 Bill of Rights, Habeas Corpus, French 

 Revolution, our own blessed govern- 

 ment, none of tliem came easy. Each 

 was born of great effort, struggle and 

 hardship. Each came with blessing to 

 the common people. 



Co-operation among all classes im- 

 plying very thorough organization will 

 force men to do what unselfishness 

 would do of its own volition. Our la- 

 boring classes will never secure their 

 their rights and a fair share of the 

 world's fruits, or a right recompense 



for their labor, until they are all thor- 

 oughly organized and able to act as a 

 unit. This time must, will come. If 

 we are wise and right-minded we will 

 all wish to lielp it on. 



The recent serious coal-stril\^e would 

 be even more deplorable except as it 

 will surely usher in this good time of 

 universal organization of labor. One 

 man, or even the craftsmen of one 

 mine or factory, can never stand even, 

 with capital massed and united as it 

 is. All must combine. All will com- 

 bine, as 'ever the right comes upper- 

 most, and ever is justice done.' This 

 so long as we have a greedy, seltish 

 world is the laborers' only hope. 



It will come slowly, and may take 

 very long, but come it will. 



God speed the day. 



Some will say, 'Alack the day. La- 

 bor is ignorant, impulsive, uncontroll- 

 ed, savage. With the reins in her 

 hands there will be rough driving.' I 

 have no fear. I believe we are as safe, 

 very likely safer, in the hands of the 

 humble toiler as in the grip of the cap- 

 italist. The present strilvers are re- 

 cently from the poorest and most ig- 

 norant of Europe's lowest peasants. 

 Yet for the most part how self-con- 

 trolled has been their habit even un- 

 der the most trying of circumstances. 



Tlie farmers, including bee-keepers, 

 are dependent, but not as dependent as 

 are the general laborers, so tliey are 

 not as certainly oppressed nor do tliey 

 feel the hand of co-operation and con- 

 .solidation as do the trades-union peo- 

 ple. Yet wiui high freights and ])oov 

 market they feel pressure that can on- 

 ly lighten when they, like the capital- 

 isifs and the trusts, have potent voice 

 in the output and the value that shall 

 be placed on it. How tremendously 

 the farmer is interested in the devel- 

 opment of markets, in wide and wisest 

 distribution, in the curtailment of un- 

 fair competition. Yet at present how 



