Heaping Up Treasure

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 10, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 36.

Heaping Up Treasure

Heaping up Treasure.—The Lord through his prophet declares that the rich men of these times have “heaped treasure together for the last days;” and he intimates that the methods used to obtain the treasure are not commendable and the certain wo coming upon them is deserved. See James 5:1-8. Among the many ways by which treasure has been heaped together by the rich is the organization of great combines, trusts, and various other monopolistic agencies. There are now said to be in this country 137 trusts, with an aggregate capitalization of $1,507,000,000. Fifteen hundred million can not be comprehended by mortal. Upon this matter a great public journal remarks:—

“If the United States had a population of 75,000,000 it would have not more than 15,000,000 heads of family, so that the capitalization of these

monopolies represents more than a hundred dollars per head of family.

“It is evident that the business, the politics, the entire life of the people must be radically affected by the monopolistic movement which within less than twenty-five years has extended throughout the country, drawing in one enterprise after another, until now it threatens to force both production and distribution to a speculative basis. This inflation of capital will be but the beginning of systematic fraud, having the restriction of trade for a means and the extortion of unearned profits for an object.”

The trust power stops at nothing. It nullifies all laws made to check it, and neither state or national government seems strong enough to control it. The worst of this is that the capital stock of many if not all these monopolies is enormously inflated, and yet there are dividends—profits—on this inflated stock. For instance, the “Dressed-Beef Trust,” organized for the purpose of controlling the meat supply of the country, is capitalized at $100,000,000, when it is said to be doubtful if it has $5,000,000. The Sugar Trust is said to be capitalized at $75,000,000—ten to one on its investment. It is such methods of business that cause the wildest speculation on such common every-day necessities as making matches and biscuits. These gigantic trusts are among the things that are rapidly making this country and all the great countries of the world plutocracies. They bring wealth to the few and oppression to the many. And Inspiration has told us that these are signs of the last days. Pilgrim, do not lose heart. “Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.” “Stablish your hearts; the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”