Omaha daily bee., 1888-02-29
The Trust ana the state.

The examination into trusts which Is
being conducted in New York by a leg
islative committee is bringing out some
interesting information. The issue has
already been joined between the law
yers Of the corporations and the repre-
sentatives of the state. The contested
point is whether the state has sufficient
power to compel the production OF the
papers which would expose the methods
of the modern capitalistic octopus. The
entire country is concerned in the out
come. The trust is the latest and most
dangerous device Of capital TO increase
the price of commodities without in
creasing the wages OF labor. Devised
by that skillful and shrewd lawyer, Sam
uel j. Tilden, its development has
spread from one form OF corporate in
vestment to another until it now threat
ems to involve every channel Of pro-
duction. The Standard oil COM
pany first proved its value in destroying
competition and in placing commerce
at the mercy Of the manufacturers.
But the increased price of illuminating
oil, through the operations OF the
Standard oil trust, affected but slightly
the aggregate cost OF the product to
each individual. The sugar trust has
already raised the price to consumers
twenty-five per cent. and shut down q
number OF the largest refineries. The
Bessimer steel combination found it
profitable for years under the same
methods which have now developed
into trust agreements, to pay half a
million annually to the Vulcan iron
works of st. Louis, to shut down all
production and to limit the output Of
rails and blooms.
1t is Of vital Importance to the entire
country that the illegality Of trusts be
at once settled, either under existing
legislation or through the passage
of such measures as will make
combinations of this character unlawful
in the future. When labor, few
months ago, combined in New York
against capital its leaders were arrested
and convicted by twisting the law of
conspiracy so that it would apply to
their case. But when great capitalists
representing millions of dollars combine
to decrease the purchasing power Of a
dollar throughout the country the pub
lie is informed that no laws which can
be applied to the problem of crushing
out trusts can be found on the statute
books.
If there is one law for the rich and
another for the poor in free America,
the people are entitled to know it as
soon as possible. When they are made
sure Of this there will be no delay in
such an alteration of the law as will
place conspirators, of whatever degree
of wealth, in the same category. The
bubbles OF the law and the pleas OF
counsel that the books and papers
| of the trust are confidential communi.
cations show to what means these agent:
of great corporations will resort in theil
endeavor to cover up the tracks of the
wealthy criminals of commerce ant
trade.
The opposition OF the American peo-
pie to corporate monopoly in whatever
form has been steadily growing during
l
gone when the advocates of fair play
for the people as against corporation
can be denounced as anarchists, com
munists and enemies to society. The
BEE, which was the earliest paper il
the west to raise tho standard of def
ance against the aggresslons of the cor
porations, has done much to educate
the public in the principles of antimo
nopoly and the rights of the producing
classes. 1t will not be found wanting
in these latter days when all its predic
tions Of impending danger to the right
of the people have been verified, ant
when the problem of railway restriction
and the regulation of corporate monop
olies has been largely settled through
its energy and labor.