The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-16
A LAME TRUST ADVOCATE.

more extraordinary expression of opinion behalf
OF the trust conspiracy has been made than that
attributed to Frank B. Thurber New York Mr.. Thur
Der presented his views to the Industrial commission
Washington recently and he said among other things
effect that the trust is delightful continuance for the
enrichment of the laborng classes and for the reduction
of the price Of everything to everybody.
Mr.. Thurber for long time president Of that jo-
cose organization known the National Anti Monopoly
league He was large shipper of groceries, and the
rates which he had to pay especially to the New York
Central & Hudson River railroad corporation which
he did most of his shipping for the carrying his
goods and other varieties of groceries
satisfactory to his house Hence his then marked anti
monopostc tendencies. But since those verdant days.
Mr.. Thurber has studied law, and he knows more or
thinks that he does He refers that shining example
wellbehaved trust the Standard Oil company, and
proudly recalls the fact that the price of oil has fallen
from 25 to cents gallon between 1871 and $685.
course according to Mr.. Thurbers philosophy, this lu
minating result through agency the
creation of the trusts and the breakdow Of
competition and nothing else. He chooses disregard
the unmportant circumstance that in 1871, the
Standard Oil veteran rust that during that
period has been wholly free from competition and
few oil wells additional have been discovered In the
interval in this and other happy lands
The trust, too, that nestmable economic bless
ing to the people Of this land has done work in
dieation of the principle that should all bow
worship at the shrine of alleged decrease In the
duction consequent reduction of prices to con-
sumers Mr. Thurber forgets all about what kindly
paterna has done behalf Of the
combine He has forgotten all about the sugar
which have been paid of the national treasury He
not sufficiently familiar with the politics of
way commonwealth, like Minnesota, understand how
nobly legislators have been laborng aid
demonstration of the divine origin of trusts
But behold this legal light of commerciaI
system After telling his auditors that is the absence
competition and the purely ealistc character pro-
motors Of the trust idea that have wrought
way that there the labor organizations Labor now
better and the trust promoters paid than
fore And ALL according to him, because the labor
have fought the trust Ingenious Mr. Thurber
wherefore the fight if really things lovely
the noble mission Of the trust benefaetors just
duce their profits and increase those of labor?
There is long standing conviction that proselyte
is the most intoleran of all with reference the
opinions that he has abjured Mr. Thurber no ex-
ception the rule anxious justify the alb
surities of his past that grows maudin in his
recanation of opinion The people of this country
making contest against the rational undertakings
In commercial life reduce of production
through cheapened agencies of productions;
Mr.. Thurber of intelligent and reliable
ecedents than his convince them that the
commercial Industrial life which have grown to
their present proportions through the perverson of all
true principles of be allowed
exploit their dangerous enterprises indefinitely
detrment of all legitimate commercial undertakings