“But the trusts themselves arose out of competition,” Mr. Calvin interrupted.

“Very true,” Ernest answered.  “And the trusts themselves destroyed competition.  That, by your own word, is why you are no longer in the dairy business.”

The first laughter of the evening went around the table, and even Mr. Calvin joined in the laugh against himself.

“And now, while we are on the trusts,” Ernest went on, “let us settle a few things.  I shall make certain statements, and if you disagree with them, speak up.  Silence will mean agreement.  Is it not true that a machine-loom will weave more cloth and weave more cheaply than a hand-loom?” He paused, but nobody spoke up.  “Is it not then highly irrational to break the machine-loom and go back to the clumsy and more costly hand-loom method of weaving?” Heads nodded in acquiescence.  “Is it not true that that known as a trust produces more efficiently and cheaply than can a thousand competing small concerns?” Still no one objected.  “Then is it not irrational to destroy that cheap and efficient combination?”

No one answered for a long time.  Then Mr. Kowalt spoke.

“What are we to do, then?” he demanded.  “To destroy the trusts is the only way we can see to escape their domination.”

Ernest was all fire and aliveness on the instant.

“I’ll show you another way!” he cried.  “Let us not destroy those wonderful machines that produce efficiently and cheaply.  Let us control them.  Let us profit by their efficiency and cheapness.  Let us run them for ourselves.  Let us oust the present owners of the wonderful machines, and let us own the wonderful machines ourselves.  That, gentlemen, is socialism, a greater combination than the trusts, a greater economic and social combination than any that has as yet appeared on the planet.  It is in line with evolution.  We meet combination with greater combination.  It is the winning side.  Come on over with us socialists and play on the winning side.”

Here arose dissent.  There was a shaking of heads, and mutterings arose.

“All right, then, you prefer to be anachronisms,” Ernest laughed.  “You prefer to play atavistic roles.  You are doomed to perish as all atavisms perish.  Have you ever asked what will happen to you when greater combinations than even the present trusts arise?  Have you ever considered where you will stand when the great trusts themselves combine into the combination of combinations—­into the social, economic, and political trust?”

He turned abruptly and irrelevantly upon Mr. Calvin.

“Tell me,” Ernest said, “if this is not true.  You are compelled to form a new political party because the old parties are in the hands of the trusts.  The chief obstacle to your Grange propaganda is the trusts.  Behind every obstacle you encounter, every blow that smites you, every defeat that you receive, is the hand of the trusts.  Is this not so?  Tell me.”