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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN ANT) NEWS.
1
E
Huge Monopolies Crush Organiz
ers and Crumble From Own
Weight, Declares Forbes.
By B. C. FORBES.
'A
Do we really need to become vary
excited over the growth of American
combinations? Is it, after all, neces
sary to pass laws restricting their
size?
• • •
Recent events suggests th^t nature
and natural laws tend to govern
this problem better than man-made
laws. Is not growth carried to ex
cess apt to lead to disintegration?
Does not abnormal centralization
bring decentralization?
* * •
There is a limit to what one man
can do. If he be brainy he may be
able to direct intelligently the labor
of a thousand men. If he be a genius
he may efficiently organize and su
pervise the work of a hundred thou
sand men. But breathes there a hu
man being who can effectively in
spire and control the energies of half
a million of his fellows?
• • •
Charles A. Mellen sought to carry
centralization to excess. And do you
hot see that the first task of the New
Haven directors is to bring about
decentralization? No individual could
hope to preside successfully over a
huge railroad system, an intricate
and extended trolley system and a
large steamship system. Mellen aim
ed at doing all that. The new scheme
is to split up the organization into
several parts and place a practical,
trained man at the head of each.
* * •
The greatest industrial combina
tion in the world is the United States
Steel Corporation. The ablest brains
in the country joined to build it up.
At first responsibility was divided,
but gradually one man has assumed
control, Elbert H. Gary. An argu
ment for centralization? I rather
think not, for the strain has been so
great that Judge Gary has aged twen
ty years in the last five.
* * •
Andrew Carnegie regards him as
one of the greatest geniuses ever born.
But even Gary cannot long continue
to direct the Labors of 200,000 men,
notwithstanding that decentralization
has been carried far in the way of
placing each plant on its own feet and
running it as a separate unit.
* * •
I Was shocked to note the change in
the Judge last time I saw him. His
physique and his spirit have both un
dergone a terrible ordeal. I question
whether any man will be found able
to fill his shoes. The tremendous size
of the corporation has not made it
more profitable than small, well-man
aged steel companies. Some of its
competitors, less unwieldly, are do
ing better. *
* * •
Let us turn to the railroad world.
The greatest railroad system ever de
vised is the Pennsylvania. Cast your
mind back over the roll of its presi
dents and you will realize that the
office has killed them. One by one
they have gone under. The human
frame and the human mind could not
bear up against the super-human
task, despite the fact that no more
perfect transportation machine was
over evolved.
* * •
Harriman centralized to excess—
do you remember how he declared to
official investigators that he would
buy up every railroad in the country
if the Government would let him?
Well, the load crushed him into a
premature grave and hi# successors
are turning to decentralization as the
only way out. No man has been dis
covered big enough to fill the Harri
man mantle, to use his own phrase.
* • *
James J. Hill may be quoted as an
exception to the rule here enunciated.
Yet he has not run riot in arrogating
power to himself. His chief task was
upbuilding the Great Northern. The
Northern Pacific, the Burlington and
other enterprises have been more or
less side lines, the active management
of which he placed in other and able
hands.
Colossal machines constructed by
supermen cannot be held together aft
er their builders pass away, for su
permen cannot transmit their genius
to their heirs or successors, Wnen a
Napoleon or a Cromwell goes, the
jower they centralized is decentral-
zed.
E
Our captains of finance and in
dustry to-day are not less ambitious
than those who have gone before, but
the very ablest of them are coming
to realize that human nature has its
limitations, that the mind and the
body can stand only a limited amount
of pressure, and that the penalty must
be paid for every excess.
• • •
Then, too—this statement will be
challenged by those not familiar with
part of their glamor. Power is a
the facts—swollen fortunes ffre losing
magnet as strong as of yore. But
it has been learned that power can
come only through careful recogni
tion of tne public’s rights and de
sires, and that to ride roughshod over
the people’s will is to court disaster.
Selfish centralization of excessive
power is frowned upon, and the lead
ers of to-day know it. They are.
therefore, less given to attempting
autocratic designs. They see that
safet'- and lasting success lie in mod-
or'** : ^n, not in
JUST LIKE A WOMAN
Rah! For Gbe Wolo!
Harvard’s Black King
CAMBRIDGE. MASS.. July 31.—A
full-blooded African chieftain has Just
passed his entrance examinations at
Harvard with flying colors. He is P.
Gbe Wolo. Hi? people, 300,000 strong,
are the Krus of Liberia. They have
no written language, so he has begun
the stupendous task of reducing his
language to writing, making a gram
mar and translating the Bible.
He speaks French fluently and Eng
lish without the trace of an accent.
Arrested in Pulpit
For Deserting Wife
DAYTON, OHIO, July 31—With a
Bible In his hands and in the act of
delivering the Invocation at the eve
ning service in a local church. Rev.
Virgil B. Slater, of Youngstown, was
arrested to-day by detectives on the
charge of non-support of his wife and
two children.
Rev. Mr. Slater has been sought for
several months by the Youngstown
authorities. He came here about a
year ago.
Bryan Rejects Offer
For a $3,000 Speech
ST. LOUIS. July 31.—Secretary
Bryan, in a message received to-day,
declined an offer to speak at the
Coliseum in this city.
Spearmen Lewis*, the promoter, had
arranged to “play the Secretary of
State at popular prices.”
It was estimated that house would
be worth $6,000. of which the Secre
tary was offered one-half. Mr. Bryan
replied that he was speaking “during
ft limited period, and then only at
Chautauquas.”
RESERVE VIM
THE SHOE SALE
of the Season
will start to-morrow (Friday) morning
The best Shoes—the best Styles—the best Values and the
largest stock of Footwear to select from.
Wfe will sell SUMMER SHOES for Men & Boys
Ladies, Misses and Children, at prices lower
than we can buy them for to-day
Johnston & Murphy’s and Stacy
Adams’ Men’s Shoes are included
$7.00
$g.oo
$5.00
$4.00
$3.50
$3.00
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
$5.35
$4-85
$3.95
$3.15
$2-85
$2-45
All Ladies’ Fancy Slippers for
Evening or Street are included
$2-50
$2-oo
$1-75
$£.50
$£.25
$£.00
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
Low Shoes
now only....
$£.95
$£.65
$£.45
$£.20
95 c
85 c
These prices apply to both our main floor and downstairs department.
Sale continues through month of August
Goods sent C. O. D.—Exchanged, or charged, if you have an account.
All Summer
Hosiery
Reduced
f’oorcoVgJUJist**JUAM*ma
27-29 Whitehall Street
MAILORDERS
Receive immediate
and careful
attention
33gSS553S0SS33SeS3833._
Final Hours Find Contestants
Piling Up Votes by Thousands.
Hustlers Will Win.
Thursday at midnight, the Georgian
and American pony contest closes.
It will be a day of bustle and ac
tivity. There is not a candidate who
has not saved leserve strength for
the last spurt. The votes are rolling
in by thousands upon thousands.
The bonus offers now are nothing
but history. Votes count on the last
day only according to the straight
schedule. From a month to two years,
subscriptions to The Georgian and
American in combination, or singly,
yield votes which will win for twen
ty-two happy boy’s and girls, a pony
each. Eleven more boys and girls
will win gold watches, and eleven will
win silver watches—there are forty -
four prizes in all.
The flrst contestant in each dis
trict wins a pony, cart and harness.
The second wins a pony, saddle and
bridle.
The contestants of all the eleven
districts are not pitted against each
other, except that the winner receiv
ing the most votes has first choice
of the ponies, and so on down the
line, until the last of the twenty-
two winners gets the last pony in the
string. But th-3y are Jill good little
animals, sound and strong, and the
twenty second is as good in all rea:
essentials as the first.
The contest las been a thorough
success. It will make forty-four chil
dren happy witn prizes, and it has
given to all who went into it earnest
ly some business experience which
will be worth more in later life than
the value of a pony or a watch.
Nothing but commendation has
been heard for the manner in which
the contest has been conducted, and.
indeed. It could hardly be otherwise
for nothing but scrupulous fairness
has marked the entire race.
AMERICAN FLAG
^^>'^^^S^^S^S^^!333SS^9eSS39S^SS9339S33i &23SS33323ee£33£S2g£83d3ei
OFFER
$S$a9S99SS99S8$$3SS983SSaa2SS9S
Valued at Five Dollars
for 90 cents
This beautiful American Flag, the very latest, with 48
stars, made of fine bunting.
Cut out Coupon below, and bring to THE HEARST’S
SUNDAY AMERICAN and ATLANTA GEORGIAN Of
fice, with 90 cents, and secure one of these beautiful flags.
THIS COUPON and 90o entitles the holder to an American Flag, 6 feet
by 8 feet, when presented at oar offices,
HEARST’S SUNDAY AMERICAN
THE ATI ANT A GEORGIAN
20 EAST ALABAMA ST. 35 PEACHTREE ST.
Flag's mil be mailed at an additional charge of lOo for postage.
F^very man is proud to say he is an American, and it is
his duty to see that “Old Glory is flung to the breeze” on
every appropriate occasion.
See that you have one of these 41ags at your office or at
your home.
Take advantage of this offer.
Hearst’sSunday American
and
Atlanta Georgian
20 East Alabama Street 35 Peachtree Street
ATLANTA, GA.