CHAPTER V. 



TRUSTS, COMBINES, ETC. 



A RELIABLE Statistical expert recently published the 

 statement that, in the United States alone, the capacity 

 for manufacturing the principal articles of production is 

 equal to the requirements of two hundred and sixty 

 millions of people instead of sixty millions. As the 

 country has little foreign market for her manufactures, 

 the results are: idle blast furnaces, closed-down mills, 

 restricted production, extensive strikes, frequently 

 throwing vast numbers out of employment ; thus causing 

 losses and expenses, which are thrown upon the people 

 in various ways. 



That manufacturers, as well as undertakers of some 

 other great enterprises, may be safe from pressure upon 

 the profits of their investment because of their idle 

 works, and from competition, or that the returns may be 

 commensurate with their idea of what the public should 

 pay for their services, various systems are brought into 

 play, familiarly known by the names of trusts, combines, 

 and associations. 



At the present time, huge trusts — in other words, 

 enormous combinations of monopolies — are the prevail- 

 ing methods of controlling production and profits. A de- 

 scription of the mode of forming these is interesting. 



It is resolved by the great leading firms in a specified 

 industry to put themselves in a position to secure its 



no 



