The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-22
st. paul, Alinnesotd,
Monopoly.


Of capital, to Cypress labor-an exclu-
sivc privilege conferred upon nabobs, to
ride upon the back of the million, would
arouse In us spirit of rebellion, which
would scarcely wait for a remedy thro'
the ballot-box. Our sympathies are all
on the side of Justice, fairness and
equality. We dislike banks and the
advantages conferred upon all chartered
money institutions. Whatever advan-
tage capital obtains over production, by
means OF, legislation. will meet our OPP
position in the very threshold. Ii any
man will convince us that there is in
Minnesota, IA sole power of vending
any species"of goods. obtained either
by engrossing the articles in market by
purchase, or by license from the gov
eminent confirming the privilege Of do
ing so, VIC will oppose that power to
the bitter end, wherever and whenever
organized. We deny that any such
power exists in our Territory. With
the exception of those restrictions upon
trade with the Indians, which it is the
policy of the government, from motives
of humanity toward that wretched race,
TO restrain-trom abuses by the force of
high penal obligations, trade with the
indians-the fur trade--is as untram-
clled as our trade with each other; and
the pedlar upon his cart with a license
in his hat to peddIe, or the bar-kceper
who pays license for the privilege of
mixing sings and cocktails, is exactly
rs much monopolist as H. NJ Rice s.
Company, or Ewing s. Company, or
Pierre Choutcau, ir., s. Company -
ANY respectable man in Minnesota, who
will ask for license as an Indian trader,
and will execute his bond, can engage
IN this "menopeiy' business. This is
plain proposition. 1t is truth. Exam
Inc 1t. Our people will take it upon
themselves to look at this question by
She ght of facts; and those men greatly
underrate the candor and intelligence of
the people of Minnesota, who think that
majority Of US can be swept away by
small press-gang of politicians, and
enlisted In a crusade against phantom
monopoly. To say that Ewing s. Co,
including Mr.. David Olmsted, and p.
Chouteau, jr. s Co., then including
Henry II. Sibiey and Henry NJ Rice,
did not share between them the most of
the Indian trade north of US. or so much
OF II as they were able to divert from
the posts Of the Hudson's Bay Company,
until the organization of this Territory,
would be untrue. Yet this field of mer-
camille enterprise was then open to the
competition of mercantile capital, as it
also now is. If the pre-occupancy of
business IN new place, constitutes
monopoly, We have seen a great many
monopolies the past year in St. Paul.
When we first came here, Mr.. Bass had
the monopoly of tavern-keeping the
Pioneer was then printing monopoly;
and this season Charles Cave has es-
tablished an ace monopoly, and Mr. Wins
low Is erecting, literally, GRINDING
MONOPOLY" on Trout Brook. As one
of the incidents Of the possession of
capital, it is presumed that any citizen
Of st. Paul who has money, will make
the most he can of il. If he can carry
on trade in fIrs more proftably than
his neighbor who has less capital, he
will do so; if he can spare capital to
speculate in government contract, he
will do so. If he can hire laborers at
one dollar per day. be will not pay s.;
1t, by the possession of ready funds, he
can buy goods and supplies cheaper
than his neighbor, he will do so. Is not
this one of the fair, legitimate advan-
tages Of capital? And after all, look
ing at the prices paid for labor in Min
nesota, compared with any other place
this side of California, it is a question
IN our mind, whether in the natural
struggle between labor to elevate and
capital to depress wages, labor has not
got the best Of the fight. Are not CAPT.
tai and labor mutually dependent and
mutually beneficial Capital which is
bot managed properly so as to protect
assy, cannot give permanent employ
ment to labor, for that capital will soon
he wasted; but capital proftably en-
ployed, ls perpetual fountain to the in
dustrious laborer. These fur-traders
then, have dole exactly as traders in
oats and calicoes do, have done, and will
continue to do, viz made the cheapest
purchases and the dearest sales they
could. Whether men buy and sell mo-
lasscs or muskrat skins, fur or fustian,
otter skins or oats, their object is to
make or save money. This we feel
bound to say in justice to Mr.. Rice, Mr..
Sibley, Mr.. Olmsted, and all the fur
traders. Into what, then, is this war
fare upon fur-traders resolved I'm
masked, it is nothing more nor less than
an attempt to array labor against capt.
tai. 1t seeks to stir up envy. 1t is an
old trick of demagagues atter pied in
very new Territory. 1t presumes upon
the existence here of senseless rabbIe
who can be excited to commit a species
OF suicide by attacking that capital
which gives wages. 1t strikes at the
root OF social order: it diminishes the
security of wealth and the inducements
10 that industry which makes wealth. II
is a warning TO capital to leave Mime
sofa. il says to the ElfeIts, "Beware /!