The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-08-17
The Robber "Trusts."

A Congressional Committee has
reported the substance of their inves.
tigation to that body, AMI from this
report the Western Rura1. an agri-
cultural paper, briefly explains the
brazen robbery:
According to this report, and as we all
knew before the report was made, it is an
organization of freebooters. Of polished high.
waymen who demand your purse or your
life. Pay them tribute or freeze to death or
starye to death. Nearly every necessary of
life is under their control. They simply
manage business for the purpose of increas.
ing the cost of an article 10 the consumer,
and making themselves dividend without
giving one red cent of value in return. Per.
haps the reader does not understand just
how trust is organized. Take the gas
companies Of Chicago as an illustration. By
some it is supposed that the trust which
controls these gas plants is new company,
composed of all the old companies, which
have surrendered their rights and become
stockholders in the new company. This is
not correct. The several gas companies are
not extinct by any means. They still exist
and carry ON their business as usual, en-
ploying their own men and doing their own
routine work. Then where does the work
of the trust come in? The individual COM
panies pay their net receipts to the trust,
and the trust makes the dividends. In a
general way the trust arranges the details of
the business. 1t sets prices for instance.
But where does the advantage to til stock
holder in the individual company appear?
He is part of the trust, and shares in the
increased dividends that cone from higher
trust prices.
'It will thus be seen that the trust is a
leech, thief and robber. 1t is the boldest
exhibition Of communist principles that
has ever been preached, and certainly no
such communism has ever been adopted be-
fore in the worlds history. 1t is not claim
ed that these agencies for plundering the
masses have any legitimate sphere of action
They fasten themselves upon an already ex-
listing industry and force up prices to an ex.
tortionate degree, or by making poor ar.
ticle steal money from the public. They
occupy the same position as company Of
men would occupy who should say to all the
farmers Of the land, Now you aise the crops,
do the work and manage your business,
while we do nothing, but let all your pro-
ducts 60 through cur hands, and by swind-
ling the public we will make more money
for Eyou and make ourselves rich. Talk
about drones! The trust is the LATEST,
meanest drone that ever appeared in the
busy hive of humanity; and while it is eat
ing and drinking and smoking and laugh
ing and growing richer at the expense of
other peoples toll, it is absolutely free
from all responsibility.
SIT is not chartered body. Little as is
The responsibility of the corporation, it seeks
TO escape even that little by refusing 10 be
corporated. 1t recognizes at the very be-
ginning that it is against the law to organ
ize for the purpose ofincreasing prices and
limiting production. Hence it studies to
avoid the appearance of conspiracy, though
engaged in the rankest kind of conspiracy.
1t deliberately commits crime, and knows
that it is committing crime and is willing
10 commit crime, and simply aims to escape
the Legitimate result of its criminal prac-
tees. Can it do this? Has it been sharp
enough to hide itself behind the law? We
do not believe it. 1t requires only energy
and determination on the part of the people
to burst the trusts and put the conspirators
in striped suits. Let us try 10 do it. Throw
our votes in that direction. Talk in that
direction. Demand the punishment of GRIM
inals high and low. 1t is the sacred duty
of every farmer TO protect his own rights
and those of his children. He and they
haye been robbed by railroads, patentees,
trusts and money grabbers, until there is
not much left TO steal. 1t is tl.ue for us to
live for ourselves, to work for ourselves, to
haye laws made for our protection and TO
preserve our rights from the unimprisoned |
rich schemers and plunderers who consider
us legitimate prey for their dishonest
greed"