ABOUNDING TRUSTS—A WARNING.
THE prophet of old, looking forward to these times of oppression and overreaching greed, speaks of the monopolist as "a proud man," who "neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and can not be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people." Hab. 2:5. This looks forward to the world monopoly, the world trust, with some overmastering, proud, shrewd schemer and wire-puller at the head. And how rapidly are we nearing its fulfilment! The prophecy may contemplate only the manifest ambition; the history of the commercial world to-day meets and demonstrates the truth of the prophecy. Almost every article of commerce in the large cities, every article of food and drink, almost every material thing with which we have to do, is in the control of some monopoly, corporation, or trust. Within the last few months trusts and corporations to the number of 270 have been organized within the United States, with an aggregate capital of over six billions of dollars ($6,089,742,200). The articles run all the way from chewing gum to copper and steel, and from a capitalization of $300,000 (United Ice Co., Chicago) to $400,000,000, copper trust. Several of the trusts possess over $100,000,000. Another is listed at $250,000,000. The Federal Steel Trust is said to have a capital now of $800,000,000, and the Copper Trust, now materializing, is nearing the same figure. In eating and drinking materials we have candy, baking powder, biscuit, crackers, champagne, flour, fish, fruits, rice, cereals, beef, provisions, milk, rock salt, salt, sugar, caramels, etc., bound up in trusts. If the trusts would forever absorb some of these articles, they would be a blessing, especially in alcoholic spirits, baking powders, fancy candies, and we may add to these tobacco. Among useful necessary articles which the trusts are grasping to control are knit goods, rubber goods of all sorts, axes, bricks, bolts, and nuts, cast-iron pipe, cement, celluloid, crockery, sash and doors, all electric machinery, coal of all sorts, harvesters, cotton prints, all kinds of farming utensils, gas, glass, hay, leather and hides, milk, nails, cotton and linseed oils, paper, paint, silks and ribbons, rope and twine, saws, shears, screws, shoes, sewer pipe, wire, tiles, paper, tin, wood-working machinery woolen goods, burial caskets, marble, etc., etc., from the time one enters the world till a headstone is placed at his low grave. Truly the prophet spake truly. Men feel it. In all the walks of life outside the trusts men complain and condemn the trust. Thousands are alarmed. Many more are in mental revolt, only waiting for the tempest to break, for the signal to be given. Then in the words of the prophet to the rich monopolist: "Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee." There is much more. These are God's merciful warnings to the rich. Why will they not heed it instead of inviting their ultimate destruction by pursuing their mad course? We are not excusing violence, believing that God will avenge the wrong, and save the oppressed. But we must publish His warnings. Note in them the truthfulness of God's Word, and the certain end of injustice and oppression. The hope of the world is not in law or violence or force, but in the reception of the Gospel. "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."