The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-11-03
CARNEGIE ON TRUSTS.
The Absurdity of the Monopolistic Argu
mcnts of Blaine's Friend.

| The Absurdity of the Monopolistic Argu
mcnts of Blaine's Friend.
Mr.. Carnegie has returned from
Cluny Castle and given to the public
some remarks about those trusts anC
other combinations which his com
panion on the top of the coach call.
'private affairs" Let us look at some
of the assertions which he makes:
" There is no possibility of maintain
ing q trust" What do the managers
of the Standard Oil Trust say to thatl
Does not Mr.. Carnegie know that this
great trust has practically been in ex.
istence for fifteen yearsP Does he not
know that it is now more powerful
than ever beforep Is the Cottonseed
Oil Trust going to piecesp Is the
Sugar Trust. after being in successful
operation for u year, threatened by
any thing except suits brought in the
name of the people? Are those who
were "foolish enough to embark inn
the Steel and Iron Beam Combination
two or three years ago soon to be "in-
volved in ruinp"
There is no more trust in steel rails than
dnong NeW York neDspapers. Epery mill man :
ages its oWn business and fires ns otpn prices.
7hfre ras Qdstysdr) no artificial raising
Of prices"
Mr.. Carnegie was speaking not only
of the few actual trusts, but of all
close combinations to prevent competi-
ton. He used the terms interchange
ably ("trusts or combinations") and
spoke of the combination of steel rail
makers in Europe as "the greatest
trust he had ever known, alth ough
he knows, we presume, that this was
not such trust as the sugar trust or
the Standard Oil trust, but combina-
tion in which the manufacturers did
not surrender control of their proper
ty. We point this out in order that
the way may be clear.
There is "no trust" and "every
mill manages its own business and
fixes its own prices But what is the
allotment that we hear about, and
what are the duties of 1.-THE Board of
ControlP" Why did Mr.. b. G. Clarke,
Of the Thomas Iron Company and the
Lackawanna steel works, say on Janu-
lry 81 last:
The Laclsawanna Company has already
llled its proportion of the allotment OF sOOO 900
ions and can not accept any more orders until
new allotment is made. Propositions for
5uOOO tons await their turn on our books Other
are in n like position"
Why did 1.-THE allotment" prevent
this company from filling those orders
for $4,000 tons at that timeP What
lid Mr.. Clark mean when he said, on
or about May H.:
"We are paying little attention TO the steel
rail market. We sold our allotment several
months ago. and can make no quotations until
he Western mills have filled their allotment"
What sort of Il thing was that "com-
which was formed" the
Tribune says, sat Atlantic City" in
1885, and which caused "an advance
Of prices when it was least expected
BY the railroad managers?" Does Mr..
Carnegie remember meeting of the
'ailmakers held in Philadelphia on
November IA, 1882 Part of the New
York 1ribune's report of that meeting
was as follows:
ANDREW Carnegie represented Pittsburgh.
Z was agreed to leave the matter Of output and
'ther detail TO tie Board of Control, which
will meet to arrange these matters in a few
lays. Prices are TO be maintained at current
'dkeS"
The Tribune, the organ of Mr.. Car
legie and other advocates of high and
higher protection, now publishes prom
nently his remarks about combina-
ions, under the headlines "Disposing
'f Several Campaign Lies-No Steel
Rail Trust in this Country But this
'ame Tribune said in an editorial arti-
,Ic published on January last:
'The railmakers unwiscly lifted the price
90 far 6v effective combination during the first
lalf Of the year"
After Mr. Carnegie has had time to
ook around little, perhaps he will
discover that the Steel Rail Associa-
ion, or whatever the combination is /,
'alled, had a meeting at Long Branch
m August 8, when sit was agreed
o continue the present arrange
nent as regards allotment" 1t was
that "the agreement"
vas changed only with respect to
the percentage of some of the mills"
Rails haze not paid as SO much per !
on as other Jornss." For example,
hose "other forms" that are called |
'eams. Does Mr.. Carnegie say that
here has not been for two or three |
ears combination to keep up a very
Ugh and uniform price for steel and |
ron beams? Is he not aware that for
wo or three years the ring price of |
hese beams has been $40 cents a
'ound, or 1892 long ton?
"4he public may regard trusts and
ordinations Dith serene confidence.
But the public will not do SO. The
public is not willing to wait ten or
fifteen years for these rings ''to go to
'ieces," but already show determine
ion to attack them in the courts and
" new legislation. There is not a
rust or combination in the country
hat does not long to possess the
serene confidence of the people,
nut unless all signs fail it will be with
leld.-M y, Times.
Tho men in opposition to the
republican party certainly represent
ha hnnora1 nntnae i1antiGad ,,itl, |