St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-23
AN ICE-LAB0R TRUST.
Pointed Questions for Candi-
date Babb to Give the
Answers.
Private Affairs in Which the
Public Has a Right to
Intpude.
Minneapolis Workmen Black
Listed by the Republican
Candidate.
Bear the Price Of Labor, Bull
the Price Of
Ice.

For number of days past vague ru-
mors have been in circulation relative
to an alleged combination between
local ice dealers, said to have been
brought about by Capt. Babb, the Re-
publican candidate for mayor. Yester-
day the GLOBE Investigated the matter,
and in order that there may be no mis-
understanding Capt. Babb is rendered
the use of its columns for plain and
terse replies to the following questions:
ID Did you, on the I'd day Of April
1888, in defiance of the law relative 10 the
restraint OF trade, and in order to force the
price of ice up to figure far above that ut
which you could afford to sell the same, and
at which IL would otherwise have been sold.
enter into a conspiracy with one or more
other large dealers in ice, the terms being re-
duced to writing, in which you fixed the
prices to be demanded and charged for the
season Of 1882
o. Did you on said dav enter into a
written agreement with one or more ice deal
ers not to sell or deliver ice to any person al
ready indebted to either for ice, and make the
terms so strong as to deprive even sick man.
VINO was unable to pay his former bill, of the
ice which his physician declared to be abso-
lutely necessary?
(3) Did you on said day enter into a
written agreement with one or more ice deal
ers not to hire or attempt TO hire any man or
men employed by either party without the
consent of the other?
a. Was said agreement so worded as
not to permit the employment OF man dis
charged with or without cause, and SO strong
as to enable you to dictate the wages TO be
paid under penalty of no work elsewhere?
o.. Did you on said day enter into writ
ten agreement by which either party might
at will demand the discharge of any en-
ploye of the other for any alleged violation
of so-called rules, no matter how trivial,
and by which all parties were 10 do their best
to keep him unemployed?
(6.) Have you entered into written con-
tract with one or more other ice dealers to
meet on or about Dec. l, 1888. to form
new ice trust for the coming seasonf And
do you agree with James G. Blaine in the
opinion that trusts are largely private af-
fairs, concerning which the public have no
right to inquirer
"a Did you on or about April Is, 1888,
ascertain that one Charles Giebenhain, for
merly, out not then, one of your employees,
and who had been working outside of the
trust, was then canyassing for trade for
another ice dealer? And did you then and
there declare that you would deprive hin. of
work, be the consequences to your pocket
what they might?
q Did you thereupon call at the
office of said ice dealer for the purpose of
notifying him that he must discharge said
Charles Giebenhain in accordance with your
yOu tild6 ~ COfClCN
former employees no matter when or why
they quit your service?
(9) Did you, in the absence OF said ice
dealer, leave peremptory order to that ef-
feet, and did you afterwards cause the same
to be reduced to writing?
Q0.) Did you April 20, 1888, make or
cause to be made another written demand OF
the same purpOrt coupled with the statement
that unless it was conceded to, you would
withdraw from said ice trust. and furnish
ice to whomsoever you pleased al as low fig
ures as you saw fit2
O1.) Have you not repeatedly charged
said ice dealer with bad faith in not dis
charging said Charles Giebenhain, and in
sisted that ii was your mutual duty TO keep
down the price Of labor and keep up the
price Of ice?
Q2) In evasion Of the spirit Of your
written agreement have you made or caused
TO be made contracts by which you were TO
receive the rates fixed in your schedule and
make rebate in the shape of present in
cash to your customers at the close OF the
season?
Q3) When you was member of the city
council was you directly or indirectly inter-
ested in any contract for furnishing ice to
the city, in utter defiance Of the plain terms
of the city charter? If so. what were the
terms of said contract and in what manner
were the interests OF the city protected?
If Z. C.. Babb will answer these plain
questions in a plain manner he may
throw light on subjects at present little
understood. If he answers in the mega
tive the documents and evidence will be
produced. BY all means let US hear
from +. G., Babb.