light, is that
of "Trusts". Here, again, it is only the ingenuity of Americans which
could have brought the system to such gigantic proportions as to make
it possible for it to wield an immense influence over trade, not only
in America but in other countries also. The main object of the Trust
seems to be to combine several companies under one direction, so as to
economize expenses, regulate production and the price of commodities by
destroying competition. Its advocates declare their policy to be
productive of good to the world, inasmuch as it secures regular
supplies of commodities of the best kind at fair and reasonable prices.
On the other hand, its opponents contend that Trusts are injurious to
the real interests of the public, as small companies cannot compete
with them, and without healthy competition the consumer always suffers.
Where experts differ it were perhaps wiser for me not to express an
opinion lest I should show no more wisdom than the boy who argued that
lobsters were black and not red because he had often seen them swimming
about on the seashore, but was confuted by his friend who said he knew
they were red and not black for he had seen them on his father's dinner
table.

The fact, however, which remains indisputable, is the immense power of
wealth. No one boycotts money. It is something no one seems to get
enough of. I have never heard that multi-millionaires like Carnegie or
Rockefeller ever expressed regrets at not being poor, even though they
seem more eager to give money away than to make it. Most people in
America are desirous for money, and rush every day to their business
with no other thought than to accumulate it quickly. Their love of
money leaves them scarcely time to eat, to drink, or to sleep; waking
or sleeping they think of nothing else. Wealth is their goal and when
they reach it they will probably be still unsatisfied. The Chinese
are, of course, not averse to wealth. They can enjoy the jingling coin
as much as anyone, but money is not their only thought. They carry on
their business calmly and quietly, and they are very patient. I trust
they will always retain these habits and never feel any temptation to
imitate the Americans in their mad chase after money.

There is, however, one American characteristic my countrymen might
learn with profit, and that is the recognition of the fact that
punctuality is the soul of business. Americans know this; it is one
cause of the