The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-22
TRUSTS WILL SUPPLY THE ARMY
Small Contractors VIII Have Little
Chance to Put In Successful Bids.

Small Contractors VIII Have Little
Chance 10 Put In Successful Bids.
From the Chicago Times-Herald.
In time of war government disburses
money with the hand of FORTUNES. AS
high as 100000 a day was paid out during
the war of the rebellion for supplies and
essentials Of warfare. TO understand what
these are a list might be made comprising
innumerable articles required 20 transport.
feed and clothe men, to feed animals of
burden and to perform emergency but ex-
tensive engineering operations. An army
carries into thinly settled localities the
multifarious wants of an enormous body
of men.
These disbursements known as army
contracts are of great interest to COM
mercial-minded people who otherwise are
patriotic enough. In the war between the
North and South hundreds of fortunes
were made in army contracts, frequently
by men who had nothing to begin on.
In the next war It is not likely the small
fry Will have much chance save in isolated
cases here and there Grants troops in
the field got meat from cattle ON the hoof
and bareback from variety of sources
Their ratlons were the same every day.
In the next war they will get many diff
ferent kinds of canned meats prepared by
the Chicago packers. Their bareback will
come from the big biscuit company that
controls the trade.
The coffee business of the country IS In
the hands of less than half dozen con-
Germs, which work in harmony Soldiers on
the march will be supplied condensed milk
by the big milk concerns that make It,
Their shoes will be a great deal better than
the brogans that famed 50 many men in
the COS and unlike the latter many thou
sands of which were made under contract
to begin with, their shoes will be turned
out by machinery by big firms who can
underbid anyone unprovided with large
capital. Salt will come from the salt trust
1t won't be necessary to scour the coun-
try for odd barrels here and there. Whisky
that seems 10 be needed by an army and
the handling of wificK fnade enormous for
tunes for many win be supplied by the
whisky trust and It's younger brother now
In process OF formation, taking In all the
"outside" distiIRres.
There Is a hay trust that can lay down
anywhere any quantity of that kind of
horse fodder. Oats will probably present
an invitation 10 some one, and control of
the supply NC EeAAAth vi llS Dpdtl VI Aiduts
Capital 10 the extent of dollars where in
1861 here were dimes Is now invested in the
business of clothing and wearing apparel
Of every kind. There will probably be no
chance for any small man TO bid on this
kind of contracts.
Electricity will cut prodigious figure In
the next war. Every army in the field will
carry complete portable Geographic and
telephone apparatus, dynamos and electric
lighting plants. The great manufacturing
concerns will furnish these. II kerosene
and candles are needed besides the Stand
ard Oil Company will be about the only
bidder Railroads will carry the troops
wherever they need to 20. 1t Is safe to say
that inierminable wagon trains of the last
war won't again be needed And II wa
CONS are wanted in any numbers there will
be q small chance for the wheelwrights
with tiny shops who gained fortune supply
ing them IN the last war. The big wagon
companies viii put In the lowest bids.