Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-22
TIE LooTINe TRUSTS.

"
which are the direct outgrowth of the
Mckinley bill, and OF the latest Repub.
lican device to allow the capitalist to
spoliate upon the consumer. While it
is advisable to avoid unnecessary itera-
ton, yet certain amount OF detail is
needed in handling even in the most
casual way such complicated subject.
We have, in addition to- the Anthracite
Coal trust, the Axe trust, Barbed Wire
trust, Biscuit and Cracker trust, Bolt
and Nut trust, Boiler trust, Boot and
Shoe trust, Borax trust, Broom trust,
Brush trust, Carbon and Candle trust,
Cartridge trust, Casket and Burial
Goods trust, Castor Oil trust, Celluloid
trust, Cigarette trust. Condensed Milk
trust, Copper Ingot trust, and Copper
Sheet trust.
We have here only eighteen of the up
wards of one hundred trusts enumerated
by Mr.. Warner, and it is, of course, i'm
possible to include them all in the COM
pass OF brief article. The matter is so
voluminous that it will necessarily have
to be treated in sections. All these
trust, as we'll as the others, have been
made possible By the Mckinley bill. In
every case, since the formation of these
associations, the prices of the staples
monopolized have either been advanced,
or the combinations have been formed
to maintain existing figures that were
indefensibly high. 1t will be observed
that they range from the cradle to the
grave, taking the poor American at the
stage when he calls for condensed milk
and not letting go OF him until he is
landed under the sod.
Although the maker of an American
axe is protected by duty OF forty Eve
per cent, the greed of combine must
be added to this imposition on the con-
snmer, and there is now only one axe
making Establishment in the United
States, with. headquarters at Pittsburg.
These axes are sold to inhabitants of
the United States for 81 a dozen, and to
people abroad for SO dozen. Since
the trust was formed there has been an
advance of from $1.75 to 1925 dozen
on this class of goods. Not only does
this combination control the manufac-
ture of axes, but it also owns the patent
for axe poles, and has placed the figure
so high that it is utterly impossible for
any competitor to enter the field in the
United States. e
The Barbed Wire trust is protected by
the Mckinley bill by duty of sl3. "A a
| ton. After the combination had bought
all the patents of tire Washburn & Moen
company, they at once raised the price
of their staple fifteen and fraction per
cent. on painted barbed wire, and cor
respondipgly on other descriptions.
One of the representatives of the trust
said exultingly: ssWe can charge $125 a
| ton if we want to-"
American biscuits and crackers are
protected by duty OF 20 per cent, and
mammoth combination, with capital
of $4,000, 900, has got hold of the indus-
| try in all the principal cities of the
United States. 1t would seem that the
same Republican congress that has SO
ostentatiousiy claimed to have given
the people of the United States free
sugar, ought to have also accorded them
cheap crackers andgl biscuits. But,
through the operation Of the Mckinley
bill, the capitalist has been enabled to
get in his deadly work.
The Nut and Bolt trust is protected
4 by the Mckinley bill by duty Of 214
cents--a comfortable doucew Of $45 a
ton. Thirty five of the forty-fve manu-
facturers formed the trust some years
ago; but, since then all have joined the
combination. These gentlemen cell
their goods abroad for from 25 to 80 per
cent. cheaper than to our own people,
and the latter are exceedingly restive
under the discrimination. AS result,
many of the larger carriage manufactur-
ers are removing their plants to Canada
to escape this and other impositions.
Thus, not only is the American con-
sumner victimized, but an important
branch of American industry, which
gives employment to large numbers of
American mechanics, ia threatened with
destruction.
The member of the Boiler trust is in
big luck. He is protected by a. duty of
! ~ cents a pound. This happy and
lucky individual, under the protection
of the Mckinley bill, charges just what
he pleases for his handiwork. Fifty
dollars a ton, or GO per cent, ia OF
course prohibitive. On the I'd Of July,
1890, these gentlemen met and resolved
that it was expedient Ito take such ac-
tion as shall from time to time be
deemed advisable regarding the regula-
tion of prices and productions" What
that means any one who has since had
occasion to purchase an American boiler
knows, to his cost.
Althoughwe have large export trade
in boots and shoes the Mckinley bill
protects the interest by a tariff OF 25
per cent. In other words, our own peo-
pie are cinched to that amount and the
foreign buyer receives discount of the
same figure. This trust is one Of the
most robust in the land.
The Borax trust is also very virile
affair. Crude borax is protected by a
duty of cents q pound and boracic
acid by 5 cents pound--the latter