its possible effects, but it has been my
controlling influence none the less. With due humility, I confess that I
have attempted to assume a role which belongs to Providence, and that no
man has a right to do. I have been guilty of violating certain laws of
life, just as my associates have violated other laws which to me demand
observance; but I have recognized the tendency of things to gravitate
back to their natural positions before it is too late for me not to make
certain that they do so. In order to prevent this corporation from
becoming a great power for evil, and as a final evidence of the strength
which I still possess, I propose to force its dissolution."

"You have a big contract on your hands, Gorham," Sanford replied; "I
don't believe even you can do it."

"On Tuesday next," Gorham continued, "the Senate Committee will consider
a bill which is in reality an amendment to the Sherman Act, and is
intended to give the Government the power to discriminate between good
and bad trusts. The Consolidated Companies is to be cited as a case in
point, and they are depending upon me to advance the principal arguments
for the passage of the bill. All the other big interests are naturally
against it, and they are forcing the issue, hoping to compel the
Government to act against the Consolidated Companies, and thus call down
the wrath of the people upon trust legislation as a whole. If the masses
find that the one agency which has reduced their cost of living is
prevented from continuing its co-operative work, they will effectually
put a stop to further interference, and the other interests will be the
gainers."

"A clever game," Sanford exclaimed.

"But now I am convinced there are no 'good' trusts, as I have been
pleased to call them. Those combinations, like the Consolidated
Companies, which are really a benefit to the people to-day, may, as
again in the case of the Consolidated Companies, become their greatest
enemy to-morrow. I am prepared to say that all this talk--much of which
I have made myself--to the effect that combination effects economies of
which the public receives the benefit, is true only for a time. Just so
soon as the combinations become monopolies, amounts saved by the
economies simply go to swell the profits for the stockholders.
Competition must not be eliminated--it is the vital spark which keeps
alive the welfare of the country."

"You are going to say all this before the Senate Committee?"