South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-08-09


cate and make sure its right 10
choose the price at which il will
sell ifs products, aud only It's minor
object To effect that great economy
which results from large production.
Indeed, II cannot be tru.hfully said 10
aim at large production, fer the very
mode by which it seeks to secure this
power of choosing is through con.
trolling and REFRESHING production
The public has received in the en- d
and generally very room. the cLief
benefit Of tie skill and efforts Of
those Who are bidding for its pat.
ronage. Through their rivalry IL
has secured the hes, service and the
most reasonable rates. While 10 ev-
cry line OF business those who could
not off, 1t that service and those
rates have properly gone TO the wall.
The objects OF the combination is
not to give It the service OF tue beat
only. and relieve it from the support
OF ali Others, but to force it TO put up
with average service. an for this av.
erage service pay enough to support
ami afford pr0hls TO all.
HOW THE PEOPLE ARE SQUEEZED.
slave you made any money in
you. business in tire last ten yesrs2"
was asked OF the head OF the largest
firm that went into the sugar trust.
Lots OF IT, was the prompt reply,
while other re6nories were singing q
differ. ut tune. If, st market prices
Of sugar, his firm could make lots of
money while other refneries were
unable to work profi,ably, IL was
positive proof that The public was
paying enough for its sugsr, and those
who could not furnish it at tue prices
then prevailing ehou!d have given
place TO these who could. But tue
trust threw upon the consumer the
cost of supporting and maintaining
Eli these refneries. some OF them
even in idleness.
Can any one look at the pheuom.
email profits of these trusts 10 their
brief history, so far bayond the or
binary and legitimate profits Of in.
dusiTy ss perhaps TO call for some
other name without knowing whatev.
er economies have been effected by
them through larger production, bet-
ter processes And "a single harmonic
oas management have been entirely
appropriated u their own enrich uent,
and not "a heretofore shared with the
| publicS II has been Stated hat the
sugar trust hiss since is organization
been able to refine sugar one eighth
OF cent pound cheaper than under
tue system of independent refnefies
before existing. Ii so, who has ap.
profIiated all OF lt9 The sugar
trust Itself. One-eigbth of cont
q pound meant to that combination
from two to three million dollars.
Why, too, did it 60 still fur. her
and add one half cent pound TO
its profits through is power of
choosing tho price at which it
would sell to tue consumer Anctb-
er declared object of the trust is to
prevent the debasemept Of the quail
ity and purity Of its pro !ucts through
excessive competition. But il has
not entirely eliminated the rivalry Of
the different companies in the comb
nation as to which will earn the lar
gest dividends for the common purse,
nor rooted out the desire of the COM
bina'ion itself TO make the largest
profits for its observation-disclosures.
But we do not need trusts for these
purposes. The public can take care Of
itself. By its inspection laws ind
other familiar means it can protect
Itself from fraudulent practices of
those who refine its sugar or its oils
or in other branches supply its de-
mands. VIZ. L. WILSON.