The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-07-18

ulatcd power.
when you coq,e to anaiwe the policy
absut prices which controls the great
trusts. you will End that It Is simply TINS:
To put the prices at the highest ra;e thnt
win not check the demand. When IL comes
1 10 the permanent operation Of their dust
| ness, they will never raise or lower prices
except on this principle. If they put 'ne
price so high that demand Will be checked
| their profits will be less. SO they viii make
careful estimate 10 arrive at this point
and keep prices at the desired level W MAJ
ever political reasons may influence them
| temporarily In the hope Of teinperlng OF
dece!vlng public opinion. they VIII finally
all come 10 the rule which nave Hien-
| TONED. ,
| 50 !. will not be safe 70 look at he inilu-
cace Of trusts upon Industrial conditions
with view 10 one, TWO or five years Inc!
are expert In assembling their plans anu
never risk great increases until they iee4
u, tina. public indignation against Vneui mas
been deadsned when this point has been
| reached they will crowd prices TO the iull
| urni, o, .xncticn They Will then prove as
| inrrciless In dealing with ne consumer as
/ they have been merciless In dealing WIZ
! their competitors. =,
look upon their operations with the same
| de,ex,ation, I presume that the govern
men, OF the tinted states and the govern
nlents ~ the several States Of the Union
could b. Conducted far more cheaPly II we
should overthrow oir extensive system ana
substitute for Il sort of military orgah',
zation. With central chief To regulate
through his chosen subordinates The affairs
OF the reop le-exccutive. legislative and iu-
! Aiciai But every good ciuzen preisrs a
sys,em .nore expensive. which preserves
our Representatives institutions, guards the
liberties o, all and enforces tbs proper
constitutional checks 10 make our progress
koth enlightened and sure
Ia must b. but a superficial thinker
wao can accept with satisfaction cheaper
article of msautacture which Gomez from
an arbitrary fixing 81 rates BY great con-
solids,ed pool In such eheapness is rep
resented a small passing gain to the con-
sumer, purchased by the upbuilding Of an
uncontrol able monopoly. the crushing out
II nufnheTle private competitors, the re-
duc'.on to id!euess and beggary OF thou
ga nde OF Independent citizens and perrna-
neut danger to the political eatety o. the
American people
II on every can OF oil and every barrel of
sugar could be branded the number OF
bus ness rivals whom the trust has forced
to the wall. the number OF laoorers VINO
have bseu driven out OF employ ment and
lie number OF thousands OF dollars that
have been contributed 20 political cam
paisns 10 brihe the winning party into fu-
jure liberation. few American citizens
would welcome lower price for an article
sion and disgrace tn our institutions.
wan. cheaper prices which come from
the influence Of ordinary trade, want
chea pr prices which come from a race OF
invention. diligence and fair play; but /
want no cheaper prices which come &c
matter o. grace from organized enemies OF
our civilization. Let 10 one doubt that the
peopla feel tho same way. There is not
enc man in ten thousand who. poor as he
may be- would not spurn a cheapening Of
prices which ne felt 10 come as an imperial
conc SIS on from cabal Of m!llouairas who
have ruined every competitor and poisoned
every stream Of legitimate trade.
Mr.. President ! am reminded OF a ten
dcncy OF hur'au nature which often APP
pears In common affairs and which acts
with equal influence IN larger and public
transactions a thing which is wrong.
clearly wrong, may sometimes be talked
about 80 much become such an everyday
occurrence. that 70 many men 1t loses its
horrors. The idea contained in the old
quotation that-
Vice is q monster OF so trightful mien.
AS 10 be hated needs but TO be seen;
Yet sect to Oft. familiar with her face,
We first endure. then pity, then embrace
is widely powerful in It's influence
Eight or ten years ago, when trusts in
. their career Of oppression, tho demand
! rose upon every hand that their unlawful
a power should be curbcl. The effort 10 30
this was general though not systematic or
efficient, The disposition OF mankind 10
apply halfway remedies was taken adj
y vantage Of by the architects Of these great
combinations and all the laws put upon the
n siatute books bear the impress OF inde-
= cision.
9 The result is that these great enemies o;
commerce are today more firmly intrenchcd
a in power than they have aver been. The
statutes which have been thrown up tc
@ Impede their growth have been contempt
n ibie from their fecbleness and we find
e visible a sort OF dishcartening stagnatiou
4 OF intereet in the fight to control these
"a great abuses.
h Aen sit in this chamber and accept OF
reitrate generalities in opposition tc
e trusts who take no real interest in the
Il enort to put limits upon their exactlons
g Yet ] hrmly believe that this lull in tn.
II campaign against organized tyranny o,
q trade VIII soon be succeeded bv still
" more active and undylng war for ,bei,
IT destruction. 1t must be 20 in the v.r,
nature OF things or our civilization viii
If be succeeded by another civilization Of
j. ph'rhallsm, monopoly and class DONNA
ton.
j. Trusts now seem TO DO more powerfu
IL than the government; they are al rpittedl,
l. more powerful than the State governments
a because OF constitutional limitations whict
y protect them from the operation of sat,
l, laws, Ihey seem 10 be moro powful thar
the Federal government in their ability !,
k muzzle every shotted gun which js al,ns1
" at them " az"
Is Wo osn not turn To the other slde an,
/ say Let the State governments nc, tJrs,
" as far rs they can" In many quarters n,
" the country the State governments nav,
y acted 10 the fun limit Of their power.
rs II is pltfhDla To realize tt,.
i constitution which was framed as beri,.
age FOR freedom upon this continent ina,
h great constitution which vas creafad no,
It alone for union, but for liberty ana uror
: reSs and expanding civilization, should now
S become the hulwark Of these floss Of libert,