Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-12-24
From the Kansas City Times.
TRUSTS HERE AT HOME.


cred by Judge E. L. Scarritt at the
First Congregational church Sunday
The meeting was the fifth one in the
series for the discussion of social
questions The church was crowded,
and among the audience were many
men who take prominent part in the
public affairs Of Kansas City.
The address was listened to with
great attention, for it touched upon
many questions which are of vital
Importance to the residents of this
city. The remarks of the speaker on
the recent combination of the coal
companies Of Western Missouri and
Kansas, formed for the purpose of
regulating the price of that Commod-
ity, the action Of the gas trust, as far
as it affects the price Of gas in this
city, and the combination Of fire in
surance companies, by which exorbi-
tart rates are charged on all buildings
in Kansas City, were received with
evident approval by the audience.
After remarking that trusts and
trustees had been recognized ever
since man began to regulate society
by law, the speaker said:
1T is not every combination that ia
a trust Every individual or corpora
ton is entitled to the legitimate fruits
Of his own industry, forethought and
economy. 1t is the undoubted right
of individuals or corporations to COM
bine for the purpose of protection
against unwarrsnted and illegal at
tacks, or to meet the legitimate de-
mands of trade, but no set of indi-
viduals or corporation has the right
to enter into a combination for the
purpose Of destroying competition in
trade and preying upon the helpless
and defenseless. 1t is the right and
duty Of the people to protect them
selves against the depredations of such
combination. When such combina-
tions are affected and when combina-
tions combine the life Of traders stihed
competition is done away with, the
great law of supply and demand is re-
pealed and the modern trust begins.
"A trust in the sense in which the
term is used in this discussion is a
combination Of many competing con-
Germs under one management, which
thereby reduces the cost of produc-
ton, regulates the amount of produc-
ton and also the price for which the
article is sold to the consumer. In
other words, it is monopoly--not a
natural monopoly growing out of
natural and uncomfortable conditions,
but monopoly growing out Of covet-
BUSINESS, Cupldlty and avarice. It is a !
masterpiece of modern ingenuity and |
fertility Of resource, and in the Ian
gusge Of great law writer. 1T Is at
once a monument to American genius
and symbol Of American rspacity."
Judge Scarritt then referred to the
power Of the trust to control the mar
ket, to create demand, which it alone
can supply, to kill competition, with
out which trade is a nerveless and
bloodless corpse.
ITO what is this power applied,
and whom does it affectT" he contin-
ued. "The combination of railroads
to control the rates on freight is a
wrong to the agricultural and bust
ness man, and incidentally to the
consumer, but it is restricted in it's eff
fectS. The telegraph monopoly is lit
tie menace to the poor man, while the
telephone is luxury that can be dis
pensod with by those who can not af-
ford to use it. But the manipulation
of the necessarles of life 80 as to de-
prive the poor OF sustenance, or bur-
den them with increased cost Of living
ID a monstrous crime. There can be
little doubt but that the trust mon
opolies have drawn within their grasp
almost every commodity upon which
the physical life depends.
1T is argued by the supporters of
trusts that inasmuch as they reduce
the cost Of production they necessar-
ly reduce the cost of the commodity
10 the consumer, l deny this propo-
,ition. The competitive price on an
article Of general necessity IS always
over than the trust price, except at
lines when the trust is using its
power to crush competitors. There
would be no object in forming tr1st {
I this we're not the case The very