410 THE QUESTIONS OF THE DAY. 



some months, the press despatches have told of new Trusts 

 formed with enormous capital, with the apparent intent to 

 victimize the world. The political leaders on all sides see in 

 this movement the opportunity to divert public attention from 

 issues which they do not wish to discuss, and are contriving 

 how their party may most readily be made to appear as the 

 only reliable champion of the people against unholy and 

 oppressive combinations wliich the "other party" can not be 

 trusted to oppose. So far as either party can manage to put 

 the other at a disadvantage, the question of the Trusts now 

 seems likely to be an issue in the next presidential campaign. 

 What form the issue will take it is not now possible to guess. 

 It is possible that it may be on such rational lines as are 

 indicated in this chapter, but it is not likel}^ The political 

 platforms will probably contain tremendous fulmi nations 

 against the oppression of concentrated wealth and rhetorical 

 pledges which will get votes but commit the party to nothing 

 in particular. So long as political campaigns cost great sums 

 which rich men are relied on to supply, political platforms can 

 not contain definite programs for the effective control of capital, 

 until capital itself desires it. Tiiis will come in due time, and 

 from the same causes which have already made railroads ready 

 to accept control, — the competition of capital with capital, and 

 the fear of popular disturbances. 



If the reports which are now inflaming the popular imagi- 

 nation were true, some part of the basis of the reasoning in 

 this chapter would be shown to be unsound, for the reports 

 indicate that capital is combining, not as the result of unbear- 

 able competition, but, while in tlie full tide of prosperity, with 

 the deliberate intent to l^ecome richer, by combining to extort 

 additional and undue profits from a struggling people. 



Doubtless there are such cases, usually not destined to 

 succeed, but in the main I place no confidence in the reports. 

 Of course I do not doubt that articles of incorporation are 

 constantly filed, creating cor})orations of enormous capital for 

 the control of almost every commodity in common use; but 

 the most of them, I am sure, represent nothing but the fact 

 that some party of " promoters " have obtained, or hope to 



