Show Combinations of Capital Combinations of labor provoke combinations com-binations of capital and vice versa This is the age of combination The spirit of it is abroad One of the latest combine com-bine we have heard of is a type trust There are a number of firms that have made large fortunes by the manufacture and sale of type for printing purposes The love of money increases with its gains The accumulation of wealth creates an appetite for more Type founders are not different from other folks in this respect Nor do we find fault with the desire to accumulate or with those who act upon it so that they do not indulge it inordinately or use improper im-proper means to do so The firms which have combined for the purpose of keeping up prices of typo so that they will not compete with each other expect to double their profits by the formation of this trust What that means to newspaper and job offices and to printing eetablishments generally needs no long argument or string of figures fig-ures to explain The effects of monopoly monop-oly are the same everywhere and in all branches of business This sort of combination is not against labor it is against the public That is why there is a disposition to legislate against trusts As the disposition to combine in this way increases the desire de-sire and determination grows to check it by the force of law We do not approve of the interference of government with any kind of legitimate legiti-mate business That should be entirely free from such restraints But when trusts are formed for the purpose of controlling con-trolling the market as to articles in common com-mon use so as to compel the public to pay extortionate or exorbitant prices tending tend-ing to unduly enrich a few at the expense and detriment of the many it looks as though the proper powers of government are not overstepped when laws are made to restrain such combinations We do not single out the type trust as a h3rrible example or one that should be specially proceeded against by any means But it shows the drift of the intent in-tent of capital and suggests the necessity of public action for public protection against its encroachments Justice and its administration are rightful subjects of legislation The common welfare must be kept in view And when combinations are formed which are clearly against the public interest legislation will be required re-quired to protect the people and promote those just relations which are essential to the general good Competition is necessary neces-sary to fair trade and monopolies must not be permitted togrind the faces of the poor and gain a grip upon the world |