The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-26
TRUSTS AND M0NOP0as.s.

the American people from this ten
dency to combination on the part Of
capitalists. The combination is gen.
orally called a "trust.' and under this
seductive title monopolists are try
ing, BY the combin alton of capital, to
get control Of all the leading in
forests Of the country. We have the
'oil trust the ''whiskey trust" and
numberless others have sprung up in
recent years, until they have become
standing menace to the citizenship
of this country.
4 writer on this subject says:
i'"Whoever applied the term trusts
to modern combinations, such as the
oil monopoly was designed to be,
was a shrewd student Of human ma
tare. He knew that the term would
inspire popular confidence in what.
ever corporation bore it, because the
average citizen would accept the
idea conveyed, and have confidence
accordingly" President Cleveland
has observed this dangerous tendency
to combination and monopoly, and
refers to it in his message. He de-
fues them IS those (which have for
their object the regulation OF the sup
ply and price OF commodities made
and sold by members Of the combi-
nation"
The tendency of all corporations is
to combination, and this means the
driving cut of competition Of smaller
and less powerful enterprises in every
branch Of business and ,nanufac-
ture. This is contrary to the funda-
mensa, principles of our government.
This combination we see among rail
roads aud nearly all manufacturers,
Whenever weak railroad is
built. and the people begin to
feel that they will not be at the mer
cy of one powerful corporation, this
big corporation soon swallows up the
lesser and the competition is gone.
By this combination these powerful
moneyed corporations can make q
'corne:' ia any branch OF trade and
regulate the price.
The Herald says "it is 8 grave and
knotty problem and we hope it is
right when it further says, but it
can be solved by the common sense
of the people, for he people are still
king and can make the laws which
all must obey"
The Herald states further that a
big trust is in process OF formation
among the manufacturers Of com
mercial fertilizers. IF this is success
ful it will tell directly Oh tue farmers
of this State and the other Southern
States, and the farmers are therefore
directly interested. If such trust
were to be formed, and the company
could get control of the phosphate
rock of.this State, commercial fertili-
zers would at once advance in price
from three to FIVE dollars ton. The
South Carolina rock is essential 10
the business, says the Herald, about
100000 tons being used annually.
The land rock in this State is owned
by private individuals and the river
rock by the State. The Herald fur
ther states that FIVE Of the most pow
erful companies made futile effort
to get bill through the last Legisla-
ture Of this State to get grant of
this rock. The Neqcs and Courier
denies any such effor: being made.
A statement Of the facts as taken
from the records Of the Legislature
may be Of interest to the farmers. A
Joint committee Of three from the
Senate and five from the House was
appointed at the session of 1886 to
investigate the status of the State
phosphate interest, and report the
same under the following resolu.
ton:
Rsso!ced, By the House of R"presen-
tatives the Senate concurring, That
Joint committc of,three from the Senate,
and five from the House are hereby ap-
pointed to investigate the status of the
phosphate Interests of the State, with
power to send for persons and papers
and take testimony under oath, and to
make report thereon as soon as posi-
bic, with a view to finding out what in
crease in the royalty, if any, can be
safely imposed on rock belonging to the
State-and that they report what special
contracts. if any there be, in reference
to mining phosphate rock and
phosphate deposits in the navigable
streams Of this State are out of
the control of the General Assembly,
and to this end they are hereby author
lied and Empowered to call upon the
Attorney General for his construction of
any act or contract which they shall
deem necessary to enable them to prop
erly consider the question submitted to
them.
The committee was composed Of
Senators Murray, Talbert and Moore,