New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-25
TNDUSTRTdL NONOPOLTES.

IL is one OF the most laintntdDlc WcdAlcS>'o
Of weak human nature that men will rarely
profit by the dearly bought experience OF ON
era. So many monOpOes have been tired,
ending in ruin to everybody concerned III
them. that man of average sense might be
expected to hesitate long before nskipg MS
means in another attempt to force the public
10 enrich him. Yet the very first sugSe ;tlon,
if hard times Oyoftake any branch OF TRADE,
manufacture or labor il still to combine, and
thus to cxtort from the public the pay when
is not voluntarily given. Strikers have wasted
millions of mOacy in trying to Force employers
10 bear all the losses of hard times, ana s'Ill
tbero are other strikers to follow in their foot
steps. Even the powerful coal combination
ha, gone down, bringing ruin to some great
compapies. and sore loss to thousands o. IN
vestors. and vet the producers of Besscmor
steel fancy tllat they can fleece the pubic as
much and as long rs they please.
The manufacture Of Bcs,emcf steel IN TINS
country has been pushed 50 rapidly that the
capacity OF existing works far exceeds the pres
cnt demand. This is not strange. For time,
the profits were very large. When the price OF
pig iron or OF iron rails rapidly declu.d there
was still handsome profit in the making OF
Besscmcr AMI owners Of mines were eager to
get capitalists to put mp works by which a
larger market WOlId be furnished for their ore.
As always happens when prices have been COM
paratively high and profits large in any bust
moss. more persons rushed into that business
than could get satisfactory returns though
some of tbs latest TO enter the field. by reason
of superior facilities, may ultimately prove the
strongest. Natures remedy is 20 cause some
establishments to close. Open competition
tends to the survival of the fttcst; those
who can servo the public best hold the
market, and others are forced to step aside
But the spirit Of monopoly rcsiSts; binds tho
littest and the least 81 together in a leag1c;
makes war upon mankind, and tries to force
the world to support larger number OF NILS
ami worlimcn than are needed. The compact,
~ which details have been published. IL VIZ
fl3lly an attempt TO eXtort from the public
$40 per ton more than tho rails now bring;
the production of some companies Is said to be
restricted, while others bind Themselves not to
sell rails below certain price, receiving a
bonus from tuo companies which sell rs much
as they please. 10 the consumer NE effect Is
the same NJ if some sturdy f0ot-pad had robbed
him of $40 for every ton OF iron purchased.
This combination, Also will probably arouse
bitter hostility. The average man does not
like to have his money extorted from him by
force.
Perhaps it does no good to warn these monop-
oliss that they have trolble ahead. If they
CREDITED the warning perhaps they would pre-
fer to pocket The unearned profits to be cx-
tortcd from the public, in full confidence that
when danger approaches they can sell out 10
innocent and unsuspecting people, and leave
them to face the ruin. But civilized society
abhors 4 monopoly. as nature abhor' vacu-
nm. Sooner or later, punishment will como for
violation OF natures laws. New works Will be
put ~ for the manufacture Of Bessemer steel,
or still cheaper methods discovered for making
iron more durable III rails. BY what method
civilization will Oyerwhelm these banded enc
mics of society, no one can tell, but the one
ching certain is that they will be overwhelmed.
The sympathy 20 which struggling industry
WAS entitled they VIII have forfeited