Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 July 1900 — Trusts and the Young Man. [ARTICLE]

Trusts and the Yo ung Man.

A level-headed Democratic leader, in atendance at the National Convention, presented the menace of the trust evil in one of its most alarming phases by indicating its bearing upon the future careers of the young men of the country. These vast combinations of capital will cut off from the majority of the youths of the nation that degree of fair play and equality of opportunity which each of them would have, if nearly all the gainful pursuits were not eontroiled by consolidated corporations that throttle competition. At the rate at which the multiplication of trusts has been going ou since Hanna assumed the leadership and control of the Republican party and made Mr. McKinley nominal captain of tlie ship of state, it will not be long before the entire wealth producing machinery of the United States shall be in the hands of a score or so of men who will be employers of the tolling millions of'our people. The youug men of the United States will be all hired men at the mercy of those men who own aud control the entire business activities of the country. Whenever it suits tlie greed of the soulless corporations for which they work to curtail expenses or restrict production, thousands of them will be thrown out of work, and all those who are retained In employment will hold their places at whatever wages It suits their taskmasters to pay. . Tlie mass of our population will become industrial dependents of the trusts. In the mildest view of the outlook they will be practically a multitude of well-clothed, well-fed serfs, who will lie commercially and politically without Individual Independence either in the matter of advancing their commercial or political careers. There is food for serious thought In the menace which this trust evil holds for all citizens, and especially for our young men ujth their way in the world yet to make. They should meet the danger boldly and crush It with their ballots.—Kansas City Times.