Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-09-01
TRUSTS VS.. LABOR.
HOW LABOR is CRUSHED THAT
PRICES MAY BE ADVANCED.

i
Congressional Record of July 81, is good
evidence of the effects of trusts, COM
bines, ETC., upon labor. In a previous
speech the senator had printed the list
of 100 tariff trusts" as prepared by Hon.
John De Witt Warner for the New York
World. As written there the main OBJ
ject was to show that tariffs foster trusts
and that trusts invariably advance prices
or at least retard their natural decline.
The object of the new matter introduced
by Senator Vest is to show that trusts by
keeping mills idle throw men out of en-
ployment and by increasing the number
of competitors for each job of work tend
to lower wages:
"Cordage Trust Gncluding binding
twine, cables, rope, twine, etc.)-Tariff:
Binding twine, Z cent per pound; other
twine, 21a cents per pound; hemp cables
and cordage, ~ cents per pound; other
cables and cordage, IL cents.
1.-THE Cordage trust, which was formed
in October, 1887, furnishes good illus
tration of the way in which trusts affect
labor. AS the trust gained control of
more factories it not only was enabled
to limit production and advance prices,
but had power to dictate terms to its
employees. 1t was not until 1890, when
the trust was reorganized and when it
secured control of eleven cordage fac
tories in Canada, Eat its .po'xsr over pro-
duction and labor beNamN supreme.
Aside from the maintaining of high
prices, which of itself limits the use of
cordage and therefore the demand for
labor, the present condition of the mills
owned and controlled by the trusts is
sufficient evidence of the devastating eff
fects upon production and labor of this
trust, which has the following record of
lockouts and wage reductions in order
to insure sufficient profit at the mills,
kept running to pay dividends to the
owners of the rest thus hired to stay idle.
On an average 1t takes about 100 en-
ployees to attend to 100 spindles; these,
in the binder twine mills, are mostly
girls, and in cordage and twine mills
mostly boys and men:
Tucker d Carter Cordage company. Brook
lyn, 700 spindles. Not running full, but little
OF time; averages perhaps 300 spindles
Il. waterbury d Co., Brooklyn, 700 or 800
spindles Running most of time.
William Wallis Sons, Brooklyn, 400 or 500
spindles. Entirely shut down In May, 1892 and
part Of all the time.
Elizabeth Cordage company, New Jersey,
600 spindles. Burned out In 1901 and not since
rebuilt.
George G. Pooley & Sons, Buffalo, 30 spin
dies. Closed part of the time.
Xenia Twine and Cordage company, Ohio,
loo spindles. Probably running most of the
time.
/. Rinek's Sons, Easton, Pa, rs spindles.
Probably running regularly.
Akron Twine and Cordage company, Akron,
o., 30 spindles. Recently resold to former
owner; not now In the trust.
Victoria Cordage company Dayton, KY, 100
spindles. Probably running regularly
II. R Lewis & Co., Philadelphia, 90 or so spin
dies. Has been shut down some time
Baumgardner, Woodward & Co., Philadel-
phia, 30 spindles. Was dismantled by trust.
New York Cordage company, New York, 85
spindles. Was dismantled by trust.
Atlas Cordage company, New Oorleans. 85
spindles. Was dismantled by trust.
Randall, Goodale & Co., Boston, 80 spindles
Has been shut down for some time.
Sweall d Day Cordage company Boston, 500
spindles. Probably running regularly.
Boston Cordage company, Boston, 700 spin
dies Not running; closed more than one
month ago.
Standard Cordage company Boston, 700
spindles. Not running; closed more than one
month ago.
Day Cordage company, Cambridge, Mass. 90
spindles. Dismantled by trust.
William Deering & Co., Chicago, 800 spin
dies. Probably running regularly.
Field Cordage company, Xenia, O.. 13O snin.
dies. Closed recently.
Miamisburg Binder Twine and Cordage COM
pany, Ohio, 200 spindles. Closed three weeks
ago.
Galveston Rope and Twine company, Texas
20 spindles. Closed since June ID.
Suffolk Cordage company, Boston, 800 spin
dies. Running regularly.
Peru mills, Indiana, 40 spindles. Dismantled
by trust.
Hanover Cordage company, Pennsylvania,
70 spindles. Closed indefinitely three weeks
ago.
Middletown Irvine company, Ohio, $50 spin-
dies. Closed recently.
Ohio Cordage company, Xenia, o., 100 spin
dies. Closed July2 e.
New Bedford Cordage company, Massachu
sets, $50 spindles Not running since June l.
Lawrence Rope works, New York, 200 spin
dies. Running.
Peoria Cordage company, Indiana. 100 amin
dies. Running.
American Manufacturing (baggng) compa-
ny, New York, 200 spindles. Not running since
Jan. l.
Miamisburg Cordage company, Ohio, 100
spihuioS' heceutly acquired Dy National Cord
age company and closed July /.
"Of the eleven concerns in Canada be-
longing to the National Cordage trust
probably only about two-thirds are run
ming at all regularly. There, as here,
the tariff enables the trust to keep up
prices and make sufficient profits to pay
big dividends on idle mills and to pur-
chase at exorbitant prices establishments
that threaten to undersell the trust. The
trust also controls by agreement the
factories of w. l.. Boone, Jr, Brooklyn,
and Joseph L. Podd, Paterson, manu-
facturers Of binding twine and cordage
machinery, 80 that these companies,
which control and hold valuable patents,
cannot sell cordage machines to nom
members Of the trust. This decreases
the output of these machines and throws
labor out of employment"
But perhaps the worst evidence against
this trust as to its treatment of labor is
found in its deals with Mr.. John Good,
who hos ona of tho 1ar0aot op5 bae+