Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-04-12
THE TMINE TRUST.

Although the extortionate increase
in the price of binding Irvine tor the
coming harvest is but very small
item Of the stupendous robbery by
trusts, which is continually going on
under shelter of high tariff laws, 1t is
= fraud SO glaring and baretaced that
it has caused a commotiOn among
farmers throughout the country. In
this particular at least they realize how
they are being cheated, and do not
propose to stand it even if they have
to 20 without Irvine for season.
Meetings are being held everywhere
to protest against the extOrtion, and
the cruel twist of the Irvine trust is
being thoroughly discussed in the
newspapers In the following ex-
tracts from two leading journals of
Wisconsin the subject is vigorously
handled:
The Milwaukee Journal.
The farmers of the northwest who
are worrying over the possible price of
binding Irvine which they must have
for the coming harvest cannot take
much comfort from the thought that
they are mainly responsible for the
sudden rise in prices. In order to man
ufacture binding Irvine in this country
certain material must be imported.
Manila hemp and sisal grass cannot
be produced in this country, and the
tariff adds to their cost materially,
II per cent on the former and ii
per cent on the latter.
With raw materials on the free list
manufacturing would be encouraged
and it would be next to impossible
for the trust to corner the market.
With rise in prices competition
would increase and the prices would
fall to 4 reasonable margin above the
cost Of manufacture. The Irvine trust
is the infant industry which is pro-
tected by the tariff. and the farmer
must submit TO its exactionS or re
turn to the slow and laboriouS process
of binding his grain by hand. This,
ltLAt - SItlttAA AAASAS pN ahSAS "
do, but those whose grain fields cover
hundreds of acres have not this al
tentative to fly TO. They must have
Irvine or cease raising grain to such
an extent, for harvest hands to supply
their needs under the old process can
not possibly be obtained.
This is the main difficulty which lies
in the way of boycotting the trust.
The Illinois state grange has issued
an address to the farmers Of the north
west reciting the exigencies of the
situation and urging them to cooper
alton in boycotting the trust which
has cornered the supply of Irvine and
sent prices skyward. This brings up
the idea of fighting fire with FIRE, and
proposes TO meet one violation of law
with another, boycotting having been
decided by he courts to be unlawful
TIE tras. would not stand in position
where IL could take advantage of such
4 decision, however, as il is well
known principle of law that "he who
seeks equity must do equity" and the
combination which corners a product
and forces prices above their natural
level would make queer showing As
plaintiff in a case in equity. The
farmers will have TO suffer from the
exactions of the trust until the tariff
laws are amended so as to make it
impossible for the piratical combina-
ton TO exist.
The Madison Democrat.
And 10! A voice from Kansas. 1t
is the wall of the farmer man. He
maketh lamentation. He curseth and
damneth, and is greatly tumbled up
and down in his mind. Meetings are
called by Kansas farmers "to take
action in regard to the exorbitant adj