The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-03
SAME OLD TRUSTS.
We Had Them 1900 Years Ago
Cites e. F. Ware-Human
AVarice the True Cause.

Referring to the antitrust dinner at
St. Louis, E. F. Ware of Topeka con-
tributes the following to the Globe
Democrat:
Topeka, Kan, May Soft has been
long and loudly proclaimed by Demo-
cratic orators on the stump that the
tariff is responsible for the origin and
growth of trusts and monopolies. The
Democratic laymen view the tariff as
the source of all political and soclal
evils. 1t has become a frequent thing
to hear that trusts and monopolieS are
a new thing and originated with the
American tariff, and that until the
tariff gave the opportunities trusts and
monopolies were unheard of. But TINS
is all a mistake. History is full OF
trusts and monOpOlies. The scythe-
makers of Rome had trust, and they
all settled on one street and had the
name of the street changed to 'Scythe-
makers street." But far back of all
this is found the record of an iron
trust Consult book I, chapter 2, ARTS
totle on Politics.'') Aristotle was at one
time a sort of secretary of state for
Alexander the Great, and knew as
living, besides being a scientific man of
great attachments. He tells the fol-
lowing story in the chapter cited:
ut is, indeed, as we have said, gen
orally lucrative for person to con-
trive to make a monopoly of certain
thing; for which reason some cities also
adopt this method when they want
money, for they make monopoly Of
their commodities.
There was, too, a certain person in
Sicily who laid out a sum of money
which was deposited in his hands in
buying up all the iron from the iron
works so that afterward, when the
dealers came from the markets to pur-
chase, no one had any to sell but him.
self, and though he put no great ad,
vance upon it, yet by laying out 30
talents he made 100.
when Dionysius heard this, he per-
mitted him to take his money along
with him, but forbade him to continue
any longer in Syracuse.
This mans foresight and ThaleS was
exactly the same, for both of them con-
trived to procure a monopoly for them
selves
TT is useful, also, for politicians
definitely to understand these things"
According to this story the man who
got up the deal cleared 800 pounds
avoirdupois of money, which was not a
bad speculation; and it was over 1920
years ago, before Mckinley was ever
heard of.
1t was an intense piece of sarcasm
for Aristotle to say that it was useful
for politicians to understand these
things definitely, and he no doubt re-
fers to the eminent Democratic states
men of today, who apparently do not
understand anything about trusts and
monopolies. There has probably been
a string of politicians" from Aristotle
down VINO nave 1alQ the u6pIOTdDle eA-
istence of trusts and mOnopolies to
everything on earth except the right
one; have laid it to the color of the
MOON the administration, the tariff,
everything except the true cause
human avarice.
The Thales story referred to in the
above quotation is given by the same
author, and is the story of an oil trust, ="
which was one of the brood of YAM
pires'' that over 1900 years ago grew
out of the oppressed condition of the
people, The story is as follows:
while it was yet winter Thales. the
philosopher, perceived by his skill in
astrology that there would be great
plenty of olives that year, and having
got a supply of money he bought on a
small security all the oil presses that
were in Mnetus and Chios. which he