The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-06-11


II is now a forcgone conclusion that
the Republican party and the Democratic
marty I'm the next Presidential campaign
will vie with each other in denouncins
trusts There will be a great cry and
each stump orator will have his figures
at hand 90 show the people the enormous
sum of money that is now invested III
trusts. tho large interests that they con-
troll and win declare that unless the
people rise mp and put down these trusts
the trusts will soon own the whole coun-
try and an the people.
Tho New York Journal which is now
bowling against trusts worse than 1t
howled against the gold devil in 1896 re-
Gently contained an article on The
Trust Frankensteln." in which st showed
there were 4i9 trusts with a capitalization
OF seven and a half billion dollars. The
article concluded with the demand that
these criminal trusts he destroyed
Another free silver contemporary says
that there IS hardly an article Of necessity
or luxury whose output and sale arc not
now controlled and managed 10y trust.
That from the cradle 20 the grave the
an.pervading influence OF some combina-
ton expands that it reaches into every
home and that its oxacuons bear most
heavily upon the worker and the pro-
Queer.
That is fine campaign talk The people
Of this country are uberty-loving and any
thing that smacks of oppression is enough
TO arouse them at once 20 action and, ~
necessary. to arms. But the trust-de-
stroyors prove too much. They do not
seem to see that If the trusts are as
great as they say they are that if the
trusts control all the industries OF the
country, to destroy the trusts were to
destroy every interest This thing IS GO
ing TO give the politicians a great deal
OF trouble in The next campaign. They
are going to appeal to The laborius men
80 rise up SIN their might and destroy the
trusts. But they fail To- consider two
or three very important things 1t SIS
fact which cannot Doe disputed that a
strike among the employees of trust Sc
q thing OF exceedingly rare occurrence
if indeed such q strike ever occurs. The
reason for this is simple. The trust car
ries on such an extensive business that 20
have its works shut down even for a little
while by reason of O. strike We're almost
ruinous. Its expenses are immense. Cts
margin of profit is small. st must make
the best possible article mt the lowest pos
sible cost in order 20 make its goods pop-
ular. therefore it must have the best la-
Dor. SC must keep its laborers satisfied
and to do this it is necessary for the
trust to pay the highest market price for
labor. Men who work for trusts are
generally speaking pretty well satisfied
with their job They get good wages
and they buy their supplies cheaper than
ever before. I'm vain SIS the cry raised
that the trusts lower the price OF raw mae
terials I'm this world every man SIS for
himself and the workingman win not
complain Of cheap prices. Imagine The
campaign orator standing before am au-
dience Of workiremen employed by trusts.
and we are told mind you. that the
trusts control everything hear him tell
tho workngmen that 10 the interest Of lib
orty they must help 10 crush the trust
but what does that mean TO the laboring
man? Ii means nothing but clap trap and