Nevada County picayune., 1890-10-09
CONSPIRACY PRICES.

In its Tariff Miscellany today the Republic reproduces from the Grand Rapids Courier the circular issued io the trade by Foster, Stevens X Co.,, wholesale hardware dealers of that city. It will help somewhat to an understanding of the purpose and effects of the Mckinley bill.
 Like hundreds of other circulars which have been issued by wholesale dealers, this one announces gener- al advance in prices, but it has a special value for it's concise state ment of the effects already produced by the bill in still further consolida- ting the manufacturing corporations. The general public seems slow to ap- prehend the phenomena of the cor poration movement which is now dis turbing business and unsettling trade conditions but merchants who, as distributors, give the trade move ment all its energies are rendered in- secure and uneasy by the pressnre of monopoly, which they are first to feel. While they must recoup their own losses from consumers, and while they can generally do this, nevertheless the restrictions imposed on trade by monopoly limit consump- ton. revolutlonize business methods, and make legitimate commercial business unsafe.
 The circular of Foster, Stevens X Co. shows how swiftly monopoly has advanced in anticipation of the pas sage of the Mckinley bill. The trust conspiracies have organized a gigantic corporations. Thus ther e is now only one axe company in the United States. "T'he American Axe and Tool Company is now in con- trol of every factory in the country, and it has advanced the prices of ax- es an average of S2 dozen. The corporations engaged in making saws have consolidated until now there are only two in the United States, which have advanced prices from 10 40 per cent. Under the new tax rate on lead, shot, lead-pipe piglead, solder, and babbit metal have all advanced in price. The higher price of silver bullion under the Administration bill degrading silver from it's place as money met al and at the same time covering the bullion in the treasury vaults will force general advance on all silver plated ware. Tin has advanced from 50 cents to Sl a box already in anticipation of the higher taxes on it. All tinware advances in consequence. Glass has been advanced 30 per cent. by the two corporations into which all the smaller corporations engaged in glass making have been
 
 Board Company is conspiracy composed of all the makers of stove boards, incorporated as a single acompany. It has increased prices round 100 per cent. since the Re pubhcans carried this Congress. The corporations which make pow der have consolidated in similar conspiracy and doubled their prices
 These instances, it must be re- membered, are all from single line of trade. The situation is the snme in every line. Under the protection promised by the Mckinley bill, the trust conspiracies have boldly organ ized as corporations. A single ono of these monopoly corporations takes the place of 90 legitimate corpora tions which formerly competed fol trade Tho consumer and tho mer. chant who as a distributor serves th' consumer and takes only reasona ble fee for his trouble, are equally helpless against these legalized and law-protected conspiracies in re straint of trade. Under the old law of England every man engaged ir such conspiracy to limit produc tion, to destroy competition, to in crease prices by increasing want ant producing artificial scarcity, was lia' ble to have his ear nailed to the pill lory, where as he stood, anyone wa free to'pelt him with rotten eggs ant ! refuse vegetables. But under Ike publican law, dictated by these con spirators, they are free to rob as lons as they please, provided they con tribute to Republican campaign 1 funds a mart of tho fat they have fri