The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-16
THE COMING STRUGGLE.


There is no doubt whatever IN our
mind that the impending issue, when
will occupy the coming generation OF
Americans, is whether or not ORGANIZED
corporate capital shall rule this country.
We here in Minnesota are on me OUT
skirts of the threatening storm. In the
older States it has already settled down
dark and deadly.
Pennsylvania most valuable proper
tios are it's GREAT mines of coal and iron.
They are inexhaustible storehouses OF
two of the great essentials OF clvlllzcA'
life. Nearly aN these mines here GIfea"y
passed into The hands Of rastroad coFpo-
yations. The Pennsylvania Constitution
al Convention, forcseeing the danger,
placed provision in their amended Con-
stitutlon, to be Submitted to the people,
prohibiting railroad companies from pur-
chasing real estate, beyond the amount
actually necessary for carrying on their
legitimate business But the companies,
seeing that it was their last chance.
rushed in, before the people could vote
upon the constitution, and bought up
millions of acres Of coal and iron.
Take the case of the Philadelphia and
Reading r. K. Co. They have borrow
ed millions upon millions OF dollars in
London on their bonds and with the
proceeds purchased mines in Pennsylva-
MIA; they then mortgaged these mines
and with the proceeds bought other
lands. Having secured these valuable
properties they entered upon the bust
ness of mining on gigantic scale. For
merly the different mining companies
competed with each other for labor, and
thus the rate of wages was kept at q
reasonable standard. But when one
corporation owned nearly all the mines
they at once depressed the rates The
miners had to submit or starve; they
were completely ut the mercy OF the cor
poration. Poor, ignorant, without thu
knowledge of any other craft. they were
powerless.
Having thus ob tanned complete con
troll of the mines, they next turned thei
attention to their chief market, Philadel
phia. Here there were hundreds OF re
tail dealers in coal, who for many year
had made a good living buying coal o
the owners Of the mines, by wholesale
and retailing it at II profit OF from TWEEN
tv-five to fifty cents per ton. The com
pany now stepped in and literally wipe
out all this industry. They opene
wards, they undersold the retail mer
chants, and they drove them out OF th'
business very often ut the cost OF bank
ruptcy.
The poor miners III the mountain kne'
OF no defense save deeds of violence
The retail dealers appealed to the Legs
lature and secured the appointment OF
committe to investigate whether or NJ
the company had gone beyond its legit
mate function in carrying on 4 reta
trade in coal, when by their charter the
were only allowed to transport goods =
But when the committee met the con
pany produced another charter OF SON
other corporation, not u railroad corpt
ration, which gave them the right to ca
nv on private trade, and like VIM. \
Tweed, they insolently asked the cor
mittee What they were going to
about it?"
The President of the company, Fran
lin B. Gowan, made a long speech lat
", running through several days. b
tore the committee. He then puolish
that speech, at advertising rates, IN near
every paper in Philadelphia. In pap
before us it occupies niue column
closely printed, with small type; its l
sertion could not have cost less tn
$1,000 in that paper. Is it any wOnd
that the editor endorses the r. h. Co.
everything great and good?
Mr.. Gowan justities the r. r. col
pany in going into private business.
says:
Thess conference.-the faetors-are the pr
cipal com plainers in this case. They are n
resented on the stand before you by Mr. Va
dusen. of whom desire to speak very kline
for. although he had lost his business,
spoke very kindly of us, and do not kn
tina, he ever did anything Of which have a
right to complain He feels very natural
not exactly Indignation, but something VIII
is akin to indignation, at having been dri'
out of his business. The other 'epresentati
are DIR. Rommel and Mr. Borta. and they W
the only three examined. ur. kommel '
the owner of . colliery, and Mr.. Borda Was
owner OF two collisries. Bless your sol
gentlemen. they never complained Of the en-