New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-04
rscr AND FICTION ABOUT TRCSTS

EICT AND FICIJON ABOUT IhCoi''
One Of the strongest passages Of Senator
Aldrich's speech on the tariff related to trusts
Senator Vest had made this extraordinary state
ment: THE wool manufacture of the United
States is in the hands of trust" The Rhode
Island Senator declared that no such trust, or
oven a combination of any kind. had ever eX-
istcd 1t would be quite impossible he
added "to make any combination that would
or could control prices or production of woollcn
GOODS. rs the number of establishments is so
great. and the styles manufactured of such in
finite variety" As Rhode Island is one of the
great centres of the woollen industry, Senator
Aldrich knew whereof he spoke in making
sxeepng denial OF prepoSterous Democratic
charge
senator Vest had not confined himself to this
industry in his general Indictment against
tariff trusts" He had asserted in comprc-
hensiye terms that. " if factories were increased
in any department of industry in the United
States the competition between manufacturers
would bring down prices This has been not
only the theory Of ProtcctioniSs. but also the
result in practice. as demonstrated by the uni
form experience of the country during thirty
vea,,s of high-taliff legislation and it was very
Dleasant 10 have 50 eminent Free Trader as
rho Missouri senator recognize the fact But
he declared in the next breath that the dement's
OF competition under Protection were not
shared b, the people, because as soon as the
manufacturers secure the tariff duty they get
together to destroy the competition and form
combinations In support Of this proposition
he presented to the Senate a long list of taril
trusts, senator Adrich. in order to expose the
untrnStwolthincs> of this compilation addressed
4 letter OF inquiry to representatives OF seventy
nine industries included in that list. The re-
plies. which he laid before the Senate from
representatives Of sevcnty-two of these indus
tries. contained emphatic denials OF the exist
crcc Of any trust for controlling production.
I'm the remaining seven Instances the existence
IF combinations intended To be more or less
effective in controlling prices. was admitted III
a qualified way but the replies disclosed the
fact that prices in those industries had not been
raised.
These seven industries may be considered
proiitabl, in detail |. Barbed wire. in which
one half the production is controlled by west
rrn association, with the general result mat
c,mpctition from the other manufacturers mas
full play and prices were never before 80 low
in this country ~ they ave now and !. fIlht
class and fruit iaiS in which sixteen firms have
formed an association with forty firms com
netting with them outside without effect on
n,icc>. the slight rise in tumbers having been
caused bv = large crop of fruit last year.
( Hinges i'm which four manufacturing firms
are now connected in an association. but with
competitors outside and no advance III prices
:, Lead in which trust has gwen place 10
4 powerful incorporated company with com
peritors outside and Il Stcad>ing OF prices ana
IMPROVEMENT of processes OF manufacture. Il.
Preserves. in which a partial trust has set the
price for cheap jelly made from glucose but
ha, not controlled the business a. whole.
: Cofdagc IN which seventeen manufacturers
are united. with eleven competitors outside.
I'm these seven instances the combinations nave
only partly succeeded IN controlling production
without having any marked eject III lcgu-
latinc prices I'm the other Seycnfy-tWo III
dnSrrics competition i, free and no trusts are
in existence
Senator Aldrich after producing this body
If evidence. was justified in denouncing the
lat If tariff trusts presented by Senator Vest
os ga collection of miserable libes on the men
who control and conduct the great interests
Of the country" The fact that mann OF the
.o.collcd tariff trusts" have been formed III
industries like anthracite coal and coitonNeed-
oil which are not touched by the tariff VIII
not prevent the reproduction of Senator Vests
argument in the Democratic campaign against
Protection. The additional fact that Free
Trade England. * Mr.. Blaine once forclbly re-
marked i "plastcred nil over with trusts
will not stand in the WAY Of Democratic mis-
representation Of the facts at issue. but IN the
face of Senator Ndlich's destructive analysis
Of the list which has been produced by Demo
cratic leaders with Il great flourish IN both
houses of Congress. every assertion about FRO
lection trusts which may be made on that SIDE
in this canvass will be tainted with suspicion.