The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-06

moters OF the trusts designed, N closing up
many important local manufacturing and
other business concerns which at the tiIle
were doing large, profitable, independent
trade. and employing a great many industri-
GUS citizens who were ruthlessly thrown out
OF employment One need knot go outside OF
this city to see deplor&b,e evidences of va
Gated manufactures or diminished business
enterprises which have either been bought up
ana closed or otherwise acquired by strong
natio naistrusts and eombAies, and large
portion OF the manufacturing and other reg
uiar trade formerly carried on here by home
industrial concerns is now Conducted through
extensive establishments located elsewhere.
usually at some Eastern business center
Inc organization Of trusts is progressing
capital represented, either Ia real or fictitious
Saiuee, has reached vast proportions. From
Information sd furnished by the press, there were
about 100 trusts formed in 1898. with an ag-
Sregate capital OF 81, 292. 749s200 exclusive Of
lneir Donoeq debt. Previous to 1898 there
We're upwards OF 100 organized with COM
e e,aea capt l, Of 7l1sA 800, making
ton OF $1,000, 652 0CO exclusive of large
Donoed and other interest bearing debt. This
enormous sum, according to the information
UptaihaDle, is about three times greater than
the actual aggregate value of the property
embraced In the trust and combine organiza-
lions. me number Of local manufactures
and other business concerns organized to
conorol trade ranges from small number
IN some lines OF business up to as high as
2So In the larger combinations and altogether
aggregate several thousands in number.
rms aggregation includes the great sugar
trust, Standard Oil, Carnegie steel and United
states biscuit trusts, and the iron, coal, pa
per. glass, broom, leather rubber knit goods
school books, school furniture, starch
Hawaiian sugar, wholesale grocers, wholesale
druggists. lumber, West Indies fruit, screw
rn a nan bolt and nut. tin plate. wire, cop
per, iron pipe, lead, brass, lamp chimney,
Intro nIiIror, needle thread, pottery, steel nail,
TOOL saw, rope, tobacco, whisky, burial case
others. -
:. me plausible claim of the trust representa-
yves, ana which many people have been led
70 Dei'eve that the prices Of the articles sup
plleo by the trusts have been reduced by
reason OF the lessening of the expenses of
production under the trust system of consoi-
oalns or bringing manufactures under one
eon.lol, Is not sustained by the everyday
experience of consumers While the ex-
penses OF manufacture are no doubt consid-
eraDly iessened, as claimed the captaliza-
lions OF the trusts are so enormously inflated
as compared with the actual value of the
properties included in the different trusts.
onat increased prices must necessarily be ex-,
acteu TO reailze sufficient profits to pay dvi-
dends, promoters commissions interest and
large salaries. The increase of from 40 to GO
per cent in the price of two articles in gen
erai use-sugar and coal. oils an example
OF the general advance which has been made
IN the prices of nearly ali of the many articles
e ctad by the trusts. The well-known
iasd; ADVANCE in the prices of these two
Ieading articles shows by example how the
peopie nave been for years and are still beng
imposed upon by the aexaction of excessive
p ma.s 10 support couptless number Of rapa
cious trusts and combines and make the
many miilfonaires and -millionaires who
now control the trade of the nation and as
| a matter of fact pract;caliv, oontroI the sou
| eminent "a e eo'-
IN, Inc best grades Of refined sugar in former
;ea.s regularly retailed at about twenty-five
az 40 'Wenty-seyen pounds for ST. or at So to
| n
nave Deen very profitable, as many reasona-
biy large fortunes were made during the
Iile that low prices prevailed in the earlier
years OF the sugar refining business. In re-
| cent years after the great sugar trust had
become firmly established and in control of
tne sugar trade, the prices were gradually
pes pest grades of sugar are retailed for 81, or
! "a cents per pound. And yet the average
vaiue OF the refined sugars exported from the
I'M Saiteo states in 1888 t. supply foreign mar
| valuation OF $326, 121-in competition with
other sugar producing countries, was at the
average rate of AZ cents per pound.
Inc various kinds Of Illuminating coal nil
regularly retailed, in former years when con-
sumers were supplied by Independent dealers.
az from to 10 cents per ga Ion, according
70 quality, but after the powerful Standard
vi trust had secured control of the immense
iy valuable natural oil resource of the coun-
| Try and also controlled the; oil refining in
dustries, the prices of the same kinds of coal
Oil were steadily advanced, and now regular
~ retail at from 10 to Is cents per gallon.
ana yet the e price of the refined coal oils ex-
ported IN l89S-aggregating 847, 607, 1913 gallons
valued at SAT 592. 299-to compete with other oil
producing countries was less than 2-3 cents
per gallon. The low price of the coal oil sent
to foreign markets undoubtedly yielded good
pronts, and 1T would SEEM that our citizens
are entitled to much lower prices than thew
are now forced to pay for this necessity and
stlll leave a reasonable margin of profit te
the refners.
The increased prices exacted by the two
colossal trusts-sugar and Standard Oi,-ex
emp!lfy, the insdous workings Of the trust
system OF trade; and as all of the other trusts
are conducted on similar lines, and unitedly
control the principal markets. the prices o.
commodities generally have been materially
increased, although the cost Of production
has been largely reduced by cheaper railroad
transportation and the use of improved ma
chinery and modern appliances.
The fact that many enormous fortunes hav,
been accumulated by the principal owners o
the various trusts in a remarkably shor
time is conclusive evidence that excessivel,
n n1gn Prices . were hxed on the articles sup
favored few tie vast wealth they have &C
aured The eoo wealth eaI of Rockefeller alone
rated at 5000, coo, 600 and upwards Be
sides the great Standard Oil trust. capitalize:
at $97, 900, Goo the Rockefeller interests contro
extensive business enterprises in a number c
sta s ana IN connection with Carnegie any
vastly rich iron resources of Minnesota to
geshe a, with the railroads iraversing, the min
|
dustries OF the state. =
Instead of making the present credit law
OF the state more restrictive 1t would b
better bette for the e. masses il the exemptions wer
hnitely promote the interests of Minnesot
by the enactment of Stringent anti-trus
laws; such practical repressive measure
as will effectually protect the inhabitant
from the exac.ions Of the legion of trust
which have proven so detrimental to the pub
, nc and to the general business interests OF tn
a6o
compel the various trust organizations to dis
, continue all dealings in the state so that tn
various branches of business can resume tn
natural independent local manufacturing an
: trading conditions which existed prior to tn
advent OF the trusts. It is the opinion {
| eminent authorities on law that the trust
, of the period are Illegal and this is tn
opinion of the people at large. If they az
illegal it naturally follows that the weaH
accumulated in this way is unlawfully OF
would seem that the holders can be made
dtsgorge their unlawful gains for distrbu
ton among the people from whom tn
amounts were illegally exacted.
2 Legislative action this IN portant cues
tion has been neglected by former legisat
ures and the public will applaud and rewar
all who will aid in formulating and sur
porting effective laws to nullify all transat
lions or dealings by trusts and combines
the state If a constitutional amendment
necessary to accomplish this purpose
special election should be provided for an
the people will doubtless ratify it by
record breaking majority.
1t is unquestionably the popular sentimer
of the people at large, that all trusts an
prices should be entirely suppressed ard I'll
: enactment of efectual measures to brin
: about this desired result will meet with til
hearty approval Of the public. Opposition
monopoiies will undoubtedly be the leadzn
: issue in the coming state and national pt
d litical campaigns and Minnesota should lea