Evening journal., 1888-07-17
rnlhs on nc rarln.


The Home Market Club Of Illinois
viii do the tariff TAX to-day on the
subject Of the tariff and trusts, as fol-
lows:
"The men who have assumed the
task Of Gearing down the barriers BY
which our markets are defended and
better returns for Labor insured, seem
deta rmined to make the policy Of pro-
lection odious by falsely charging il
with responsibility for every unpopular
condition which the business Of the
country experiences.
"Amoug the more recently discov-
cred evils OF q protective policy TO
which these free trade advocates point
is the alleged fostering OF trusts Bur
here, as elsewhere, facts are against
them, as Will be seen by glance at
history, past and present.
" Trusts. or pools, or combinations
by Whatever name, are far from being
modern contrivances for controlling
prices, and are by no means confined
to the United States. Ia fact. the
trust Of to-day is of English origin;
and unfortunately for the free trade
advocates purpose, did not come into
prominence in England until 1s4S Z
two years after the adoption by that
nation Of her existing free trade policy.
This combination wasin the tin mining
district OF Cornwall and Dsvonshire,
and was intended TO affect the price Of
a metal on which there was no tariff.
Coming down to the present, the
great copper trust, which recently
eucceeded in carrying up prices to an
unprecedented figure, originated in
France where there are no copper
mines to protect. Eng and TO day has
a coal oil trust. thou IA no coal oil well ,,
and no tariff on coal oil. Canada, like
ourselves, has a sugar trust, while
allowing sugar to enter her ports frec
Of duty. Here ia the United States
our most formidable trust is the
STANDARD Oil Company. with coal Gil
on the free list (It may be we'll to
remember that the present secretary oi
navy Is a member Of this Standard Oil
combinahon) Then, again, we have
the coffee trust, which has succeeded
in materially increasing the price oi
c0ifsa within the past year and q half
while every one who cares to inquir,
knows chat coffee has b3en on the fre.
lat since 1878.
In the face OF facts like these, it i
daily charged that these trusts in
herited from England and hourishinl
a. never before under The present pro
British administration, are an ont
growth Of tho American protective
policy. The same free trade advocates
with unabaahed Inconsistency. charg
against q protective tariff that it ma
terially increases the prices Of protec
tive products. This, If true, wouli
operate to render combinations all tn
more difficult, by req ,iring increased
capital for holding and arblTari.
forcing up the prices of commodities
The reul truta ia thatal these CONNER
,ial combinations, like those between
iailroad managers are very little, if O
an aif eGed by customs laws; and th
evils with which they threaten th
! conntry are 20 be avslted by nationa
and state legislation, rendering q
combinations more difficult, and keep
+; ing every business avenue open t
untrammeIed competition. This apps;
4 of free trade advocates 10 the gener'
prejudice against trusts but betray
, the absence Of facts and arguments /
support Of the unpatri3tic policy the
Q have espouoed aud will deceive non
= but the unthinking,n