THE ANTI-TRUST CONFERENCE.
By S.
Russia's invitation to the other European nations to join her representatives in an international anti-trust conference has been the subject of considerable comment in the press of both hemispheres for the past few weeks. Some have seen in it international complications, a combination of European nations against America in accord with the recommendations of Goluchowski. These nations are looking upon America as the mother of trusts, their successful rival in the business fields of the world, and consequently their common enemy. This is evidently the reason why America has not been invited to join in the international anti-trust conference which the “white czar” has called. There is no doubt but that the conference will be anti-American in the tone of deliberations as well as in the tendency of the conclusions reached; and what complications may supervene in consequence none are able to foretell. It may result in such joint action as will practically close the markets of the Old World to many of the products of American manufactures. It may have more serious results. But whatever may result from this anti-American anti-trust conference, we may be certain of one thing that will not result—yes, of two things. The first is that it will not prevent or decrease the formation of trusts, and the consequent heaping together of wealth in the hands of the few; and the second is that it will not make for the peace of the world. We are sure of this, because the Word of God teaches us that the accumulation of wealth is to be one of the most marked characteristics of the last days; and the greatest wealth-producing machine that has ever come to the knowledge of this world is the trust, and it will continue to be so until the last inhabitant of this world shall have opportunity to decide whether he will worship mammon or God. It will not make for peace, because the Word teaches that the history of this world will end in war—a universal war—and this conference is calculated to stir up the jealousy of the Old World against the New, and vice versa; and we are in the last days when this strife and jealousy are to be expected, and when the sword is ready almost to leap from its scabbard. The cry of “Peace and safety” was raised when the czar called his famous Peace Congress which met at The Hague, and many, not recognizing who was speaking in that quotation, “nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,” were ready to declare and did declare that that time had come, and that “Scripture” was beginning to be fulfilled. In so declaring, they were simply fulfilling what the Scripture had foretold they would do. Micah 4:1-5. The Bible had said that “the people” and the “nations” would be making that declaration; and they did it. But the nations' representatives went home from The Hague, and the nations went on with the occupation they had not dropped—preparing war and waking up the mighty men (Joel 3:9) for the great conflict which the rulers of the nations have never ceased to expect. More money is spent each succeeding year than the year previous for ships and munitions of war, for training men to fight, and for building works of defense against possible invasions. The Peace Congress did not bring peace or a more peaceful aspect to the face of the world. The anti-trust conference will not decrease the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few, nor be a panacea for all the ills of the poor and the oppressed. Certain trusts may even be denied access to the markets of some of the nations; but the trust idea has taken hold of the money-hungry mammon worshipers, and even international legislation will be powerless to prevent combinations of capital for the accumulation of wealth. The trust is here to stay as long as men love gold, and they will go on accumulating wealth, or striving so to do, by every means possible until the great day of God is ushered in. We are hastening toward that consummation now.