EXTENT OF COMBINATION MOVEMENT. As yet, there are no satisfactory statistics regarding the extent of the combination movement in this country. The only material of this nature that is trustworthy is that secured by the United States Census of 1900, published in volume vii., part i., of the Report on Manufactures. This report included only those 'Trusts' which con sist of a number of formerly independent mills which had been brought together into one com pany under a charter obtained for that purpose.
Accordingly many establishments which might properly have been included under the word 'Trusts' were excluded. Moreover, many of the largest corporations organized during the last few years, including the United States Steel Cor poration• were organized later and hence were nut included. The figures given, however, in clude 185 combinations with 2040 plants. The total capitalization was 81,430,625,910. The total cost of materials used was $1,089,666.334, and the value of the products 81,6(17,350.949. The total gross value of all mamtfactured prod ucts enumerated in the census was $13.00-4,-400, 143. For the purpose of comparison there should be subtracted from this total the value of the products of the hand trades or the me chanical and neighborhood industries, since these are not adaptable to the form of management known as the industrial combination. There remains a total gross product of industries sus ceptible of combination into Trusts of 783.065. Comparing this with the product of
the industrial combinations, it seems that in 1900 the Trusts produced nearly 14.1 per cent. of the total gross product of the manufacturing industries of the country, as enumerated by the census.
Doubtless at the present time this ratio would need to be somewhat increased. Yet it would probably be fair to say that even at the present time the Trusts do not manufacture more than 25 to 30 per cent. at the outside of all the in dustries in the country readily susceptible of in dustrial combination. It is impossible at the present writing to say more than that the Trusts have developed very rapidly of late years, and that they apparently, though not. certainly, are absorbing steadily a continually growing per centage of the entire industries of the country. It seems, however, to be equally clear that there are many lines of industry which are not suscep tible of management under the Trust organiza tion, and a point will probably be 'welled within the not far distant future when industries which, from their nature, can be advantageously or ganized into Trusts will all substantially be so organized, and those not capable of advantageous organization in this form will be recognized as industries normally managed by independent pro ducers.