St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-31
A GREATER DANGER.

While the working people of the
country are engaged in study and con-
troversy over the issues of protection
against free trade, and gold standard
against silver standard the shadow
of the real menace to this republic
spreads farther and grows deeper with
every change in the Industrial situa-
ton. A week ago the Globe an
nounced the completion Of great com
bination between the principal con-
Germs Of this country engaged in the
manufacture Of electrician machinery
and appliances. Henceforth, it was
shown, the people Of this country
could enjoy the benefits of this mighty
new agent in our industrial life only
upon such terms as the trust might
prescribe. A more serious matter than
this is the formation Of the new steel
trust, which was noted in the news dis
patches Of yesterday morning. This
is probably the most gigantic COM
bination that ever was formed in this
country. The capital Of the concern will
be several hundred million dollars, and
its membership will include all the
prominent steel producers Of the United
States. The purpose Of this monopoly
is TO make definite and rigid rule to
govern amount Of production and price
of product.
Steel has become one Of the universal
necessaries Of our people. It has not
only taken the place Of iron in railroad
construction and for structural use In
buildings, but is now the material out
of which legion Of smaller commodi-
ties Of daily use are manufactured.
Steel is the great raw material Of the
metallic world, and the price that
must be paid for it determines the
welfare Of almost every human being
In this country. Not even the coal
combine can lay its unsparlng hand
upon so great multitude of helpless
dependents as can this new combina-
ton to monopolize steel production In
the United States. With this actively
In force, fixing to a pound the amount
Of steel that the furnaces will be per-
price automatically, under the shelter
and guarantee Of tariff duties, the peo-
pie Of the United States will be alb
solutely helpless against oppression
and extortion, unless new measures
for their relief are taken. We say
unhesitatingly that all other issues.
political and industrial, fade into pal
try insigni1cance in comparison with
the great crisis that has come upon
us in the rise Of industrial combina.
tions like this.
They have now reached their sec
ond stage Of development. At first
they were largely speculative ven
lures, and they went to pieces quickly
under the disastrous expansion of can
ital by which their promoters OBJ
tanned certain wealth. The later
combinations are to be managed
differently. These men intend to
initiate the Standard Oil COMPANY.
and to make their millions not by the
quick process Of issuing stock, but by
the slower and surer method of law
Ing yearly tribute upon millions of
consumers. Their plans are deftly fash
ioned, the power is almost illimitabIe.
and they rely upon the apparent i'm
possibility Of securing or enforcing
laws against them to help them in
carrying out their scheme Of forcing
this country into condition of indus
trial slavery In comparison with which
the state of feudaI ages was a. para
disc. There is no issue in this coun-
try, or Of this age. that can compare
in Importance with this. We say with
regret, but with all the earnestness
that necessity requires of us, that
the consummation of schemes like this
and the transference of industrial su-
premacy in this country to the control
of great combinations of capital mean
first, the industrial slavery of the
masses; second, a revolution of the
proletariat at some time in the future;
and lastly, either scenes of horrible
disorder or the downfall OF repub-
lican institutions and human liberty.
It is no use to blink the issue. We are