The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-05
WHAT CONTROLS PRICES.
Continued from page e.

ciprocity etc., are absolutely of no con-
sequence whatever, as long as the pro-
fits of labor are controlled by those
who do not labor.
Suppose better markets or better
trade relations should double or
quadruple prices, what good do you
derive from it if some other .felloac,
controls the profit?
1 fancy we hear some one say, we
know we'll enough things are all
wrong, but what are you going to do
about it?
There are just two remedies, which
can accomplish anything.
One involves a sweeping national
change in our carrying system, by
which the entire transportation of
the country will be brought under
the control of one management. This
can hardly be done except by the
action of the government, and if it
were carried out, the rates of trans
portation being no longer subject to
the constant fluctuations caused by
competitions for business would be-
come fixed at minimum rates, just
as the price of letter stamps has
been reduced from so cents for half
ounce, to 2 cents for one ounce,
simply because it pays the govern
ment better than the old rates.
The Standard Oil company, one of
the greatest monopolies that has
ever exised, by being in a position to
control the cost of it's transporta-
tion, has been able to reduce the
price of kerosene oil, from so or 60
cents gallon to about one fourth
of that amount, showing that even
one great big monopoly is better
than having to contend with whole
army of contending monopolies like
the railroads.
To succeed in this course requires
a unity and harmony of action, which
from present indications, is not like
ly to exist within fortnight, more
over, as all the railroads could only
be united under one system, by be-
ing absorbed by one, overwhelming
monopoly, or by being taken in hand
by the governmental by virtue of it's
right of eminent domain, in which
case the government would of course
pay only fair appraised valuation
for all the property, real and person
al, belonging to the railroads, with
out taking any account of the ire
mendous imitation of values by means
of watered stock, all the railroads
with all their tremendous power,
would oppose such change, and the
fight for ultimate supremacy would
be drawn out indefinitely: So that
while this settlement of the difficult
ty is most devoutly to be desired. as
being the only means for securing
ultimate safety, yet in the mean
time, people must adapt themselves
to the existing state of affairs, and seek
a temporary remedy, while laboring
for permanent one.
This brings us to the second means
by which relief can be obtained.
That is, by entirely abandoning the
idea of producing in any quantity
those things which require transpor-
tation by rail. What! not raise ANY,
thing to ship? We answer distinct
ly, No! not raise much of anything to
ship, unless we feel perfectly satis-
fed to work soithout aoages for the
great transportation companies of
the country. For while we continue
TO feed and fatten these overgrown
monopolies, we are simply digging
our own graves, and we do not de-
serve relief if we do not see the evil
when it is pointed out to us.
EXCELSIOR.