The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-15
APPEAL.
CHEATING COMBINATIONS AND
MON0POLiES.

MONOfOLiES-
The APPEAL recently stated how
New York is becoming victimized by
q combination Of coal mine owners.
The supply was kept down by mutual
agreement, then, because "coal was
scarce" while the demand, Of course,
remained as before, the price was ad-
vanctd. The result is that city is pay
ing sums that make an immense total,
for which sums no value IL given by
the receivers. A fair market profit
was made previously; this profit re-
mains, and 10 1t is added blackmSil
profit, which the monopolists pocket
This is not businets, it is cheating.
Were arties to conspire TO wrong 9th
ers out OF their money not under cover
of business they would be prosecuted
and punished. II law be justice, can
law hold men to be right who defraud
under the cover OF business, while
under another form they would be
punished? "a rose by any other
name would fmell as sweet" and in
justice under the name Of selling ceal
is none the less foul and
hateful. In Pennsylvania SIM
liar wrong to that perpetrated in
New York is inflicted upon the pub
lie, and It's Governor has publicly de-
nour ced the practice and called for
legal redress. He says the monopo-
lists "have crippled the indus
the Safe, restricted the develop
ment OF its mineral wealth, kept
mines running on Curtsiled time,
thereby putting operatives on re-
strictsd pay, Disseminated against
local consumers as to the price Of coal
in comparison with other consumers"
BradstreefS points out tbatfiIteen years
ago the Supreme Court Of Pennsylva-
MIA, in the case OF the Morris Run
Coal Company We. the Barclay Coal
Company, decided case analogous to
the present tonspiracy to extort money
from the public for which no value is
returned. The Court decided that the
acts complained Of were illegal and
void, as being opposed TO the public
welfare. The Court said the com.
panies controlled an immt nse
coal field, and made it bring sums coal
would rot command II left to the nat
ural laws OF trade. The article is one
OF prime necessity, and the combina-
ton is IL furious in its effects, therefore
the combination contract is against
public policy and is illegal, and there
fore void. Such a decision gives
ground to expect that many exciting
combinations Of the same character
would be broken up II the proper State
officers would do their duty and
prosecute them, as they would
prosecute q poor thief who picked
a pocket without any form
OF buslnets. Coal combinations are
not the only illegal appropriations Of
public money, nor are New York AID
Pennsylvania the only places where
there are combinations. to do acts that
are illegal and fraudulent, and every
= where and in every instance they
should be prosecuted as other and
poorer illegal extoIters Of the publ'c'i
money are prosecuted. The tombina.
tons, conspirscies ard monopolieG
are spreading and increasing, and the
country is beginning to suffer and
groan beneath their extortions al
exsc,icns, and 1t is time that &
public outcry ard protest was made
and the public officials compelled Il
do their duty. Tho other day Jay
Gould bought up, by an outlay o
s6,00O,000, tia coal fslds OF Ilinoi
and Eatern Miss 'uri supplying tn,
st. Lrus market, monopoly tina
will inju'e tiade and grind the fac,
Of lhs POOR" The Trust Oil Compan!
that has con bined ninety out o
every hundred cotton oil mills, not onl.
sxtorts by raising the price OF tn
product but Expresses our planters b.
reducing the price OF the seed she,
grow to what It pleases the compan,
TO pay. Away with combinations an,
monopolies--they are against the pub
lie welfare and ought to,be abolished
Away wi h them