The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-11
Who Gets the Profits.
To the Editor of The Post,


In its Sunday issue the Galveston Tribune
makes the editorial announcement that the
stocks of fifty lone corporations have in
creased in volume since the election, SCI
1889. and points the moral as the success
OF the gold standard
1t Is readily admitted, and further grant.
cd, that these corporations desired the gold
standard for the express purpose CT making
this very increase in costless values. I he
Standard Oil company Increased 81 5S7 900.
which goes into the pockets Of the ON ners
without one cent of outlay. except their
contribution to the campaign fund. On the
other hand what is the profit 10 the en-
ployes OF the company and the consumers
OF their product? DO the employees get
higher wages now than they did before the
election. and have any new employees been
added? No; certainly not. DO the consum-
ers get noticeable reduction in their oils
Certainly not,
Wagner palace car stock has Increased In
costlcss value. $4,000 600 at an outlay ly
the owners OF only the campaign fund.
Have the employees been given an increase
in wages? Most surely, no. no the uatrons
of the company still pay the porters' sal
airy at % cents per shine? Certainly they
do. Have the patrons secured their berths
at less cost? Aubernicht.
swift q Co. $ stock has increased 81 $50
900 at cost TO the owners Of the campaign
fund. Have the employees who work In the
stink ROOM the refrigerator room and the
hide room for 12l2 cents per hour. and no
regular hours, been given an increase in
| wages or hours Echo answers no. DO
those of us who buy pork teuderloins and
sweetbreads still pay 20 to 30 cents II
pound? The chorus sends back the refrain
we do.
Postal Telegraph stock has added TO the
wealth Of the company 81 $50 900, at II net
cost to the company OF campaign contri-
button Can we send message. day or
night at "A less cost than we did month
ago? Tho tired operator clicks back the
answer. collect. no
| 1t is a known fact that the mechanic
the merchant. the individual in any o, oca-
tion or business does not own any of this
stock. There hns been nothing nrodu ID and
nothing added to the Tangible wealth or
business Of the country, and IT Is also a
known fact that the principal owners o: all
! these corporations speculate in their own
stocks from an inside and dead sure las is.
| Who then. we will ask the Tribune is the
| gamer by this distribution Of }3l 900. 600 ?
| We can not think the Tribune has the
| iemcrity to claim that it has founl it's way
! into the avenues OF actual, legitimate trade.
| nr to dispute. the certain fact that the cor
porations which own the plants and stocks
are the sole beneicaries. and that " thout
| expanding a cent, practically speaking. The
J bond syndicate p0cketod a profit Of S1l ,10O,-
00O on a cnch investment. and now ,ily'
one other gyndicntes pocket n profit Of over
| SSl ,000,Q goo on a campaign fund Investment.
I And il all came about through the gold
! standard WIN the Tribune, or any OF It's
| gold plated associates, claim that the MILL
| ions of farmers, artisans, laborArs and in
PdiVidual business men of moderate means
| get / cents worth OF benefit from these
enormous and non-rsk profits? II they do
not is the gold standard an equitable stand
| ard? Admitting that the re-est lblishment
Of silver coinage would put an end to these
| great corporation gains, would they be hon
est losers? They would still nave their
plants intact aud would simply be forced
10 do business at the same profit that or
binary people have to accept. Is there any
injustice in the million dollar corpo alton
/ doing business on the same basis that the
| five thousand dollar individual uoes' we
are not re-opening the free silver discus
| sion: but inasmuch as the Tribune bad iEe
effronterv to give editorial utterance to
the idea that these values represented a
b, nofit to the public, and the further claim
that the gold standard was the same
thing" because II had done this, simple
Justice and honesty demand that the nlaity
of lis logic be illustrated. IT was the ab-
solutc knowledge that the gold standard
produces lust this result--the enrichment Of
| the syndicates and corporations, or Nhlcn
tbev give absolutely no return-'thAt caused
a great many OF us to vote for ticket ana
platform which might have been hctler
| 10 It's own advantage but which was all tlat
offered for our self -patrotism ami IA also
the reason why some OF us can never be
p, n,,blicars even FOR the sake OF that croas-
;rr aid Jade. Grandmother Sound Money.
'"e II L.W.