The Advocate and news., 1898-01-19
DON'T FORGET THE TRUSTS.


Mr.. Lewis truly said:
Great and important as is the ques-
tion, yet to me there arises that other
questiOn--what avail Is 1t to the poor
man should the government increase his
money four-fold while allowing favored
mOnopolies to increase their privileges
four-fold to take that money from him?
So long as the law permits the concen-
trnticn of wealth in the form of trusts to
dictate to the citizens the price OF the
necessities of existence, the citizens in
creased dollar will be but the increased
sum paid by that citizen for his exist
ence. l say, therefore, that when these
monopolles, through prodigal bountieS
obtained by special legislation, can set
a value upon the poor mans privilege OF
living there can be no relief in the eX-
pedients which palliate for an hour the
increasing wealth.
eve have the spectacle confronting
us of the combined trusts controlling
seven billions, the consolidated banks
eleven billions, the railroad five billione,
yet this vast wealth, one-third Of the
nations possessions, manipulated by
less men than will fill the auditorium OF
Chicago not ten thousand-yet VINO by
virtue Of this prOdigious accumulation
and it's power for evil, openly defy the
laws, corrupt the ballot box, and dehle
the Judiciary; and as result OF IT all
they force thirty million people to yield
up their benefits and twenty millions Of
people to forfeit their political righ 5 "
It is hardly probable that the silver
question will overshadow all others in
1900. While it will no doubt lead, the
Importance of regulating the trusts and
combines will certainly be recognized by
the people as a prominent issue. 1t is
question Of governmental control or pri-
vate control Of functions which belong
to the people alone. The inroads of o.
ganized capital in this direction have
BEEN steady and sure, until they have as
sumed charming proportions, which have
been pointed out SO frequently that IL Is
nc: necessN to reiterate them.
Trusts and combines are in every way
luimical to ffte institutions. They are
mcnarchs IN the commercial world, die
tating prices and controlling OUTPUTS
They make a jest of the assertion that
this is a free country 1t Is essential to
the welfare of the republic that they
should be firmly held in check. Had Mr.
Bryan been elected President before ac-
complishing any policy he would have
found it necessary first to crush out the
monOpolies which would have used all
their power to defeat the restoration OF
silver. He would have found himself
bound and hampered at every turn until
he had rid the country Of the monetary
and commercial barons who form the
court of monopoly. Silver in itself Is
not the only issue. Indeed, there can
be no complete restoration of that metal
to it's former position while the trust
interests are present to defeat real re-
suits tending toward that end.
The monOpolies are not startling in
novation; they are natural production
of our competitive system. Their ex-
istence was inevitable. The present sys-
tenn of living is in the nature Of warfare
in which man is commonly reckoned In
ferlor to property, and the man who can
by his industry in trickery, scheming
and thorough dishonesty, acquire con-
siderable wealth is counted very much
more successful in life than the one who
remains in an honest obscurity. All
methods seem to be as fair in our war
fare Of competition as in any war. When
forces fighting for the same end find
that by combination they can wage a
stronger fight, it is but natural that they
should combine. That is the reason for
trusts and combines. They are united
to be more competitive in general way,
to squeeze more out of producers and
consumers outside the combination. The
claim they sometimes make that OFga-