The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-06-24
InellsH VIEW or TRUSTS.

The extraordinary growth Of the
trusts in the United states and their
probable effect upon export trade. Is
causing much debate IN England,
Recently two leading Journals of
Great Britain. London Engineer.
ms" and The Engineer" contained
long articles upon this subject from
which Il was easy TO CLEAN the fact
that the drift OF English opinion is
to the effect that the American
trusts working upon an infatcd cap
itsiisatien. viii ultimately wreck the
export trade Of this eouatty.
London Engineering says;
Perhaps the best agent in our
favor is the trust mania. q which
We have had so many examples Of
late months, IL II fact
that every one OF the trusts. up TO
the enlarged Carnegie .eaussnt. Is
grossly sVsrcapi,aiired. and Il ls a
fact also. tnat. instead of being con-
tent to make more money BY econ
omies In management and the other
legitimate means within their reach,
they have elected 70 get there" by
the device OF raising prices against
the consumer"
Then follows an expose % price
manipulation by the trusts In va
rlety Of products Of iron and steel.
lAmens other things. Il 70 shown that
the price OF wire nails has been In
creased - per cent. since the end Of
last year. rfnplate has advanced
20 per cent. since the combine was
formed. says Engineering;
Early in January the Trust die
tated an advance % s. tper hoxl.
and In quick succession put the price
up TO 81 The advance IN block tin
was given as the reason. The mills
In England had 10 deal with the same
advances tn sin and steel. but here
the rise was about shilling per box
Of liz pounds. equal 20 about = cents
FER box OF 100 pounds. The real reas-
on for the advance seems 20 have
been the Influencing Of the price OF
the stock. and the desire Of the dom
mating powers % open a vide mar
ket for il. A. stock -tobbing opera
ton the movement OF prices was a
success---the more so as they sue
ee~ded In bringing the stcck on the
New York stock Exchange nut
from the standpoint OF the manufac-
furer the movement was a great
failure. As soon as quotations
reached - per box. large purchases
we're made In Ensiand on aceount OF
Gin can manufactures o. American
s~aporss. ss the bringing OF them
over and paying the import duty OF
II 50 per box failed 10 carry the cost
above the traxf's price"
The Engineer In an equally lengthy
and comprehensive leading article.
says:
we may rw<sr TO the raising OF
prices In the United States as d.
rect result Of these recent couoina-
ton moves The incorporation has
been heraided .ss we have before
poln,~d out, by the usual fine talk
about economies Of management and
the Ike. to work 70 the advantage
Of consumers as well a. producers
No one has. We should say. accepted
tn... phsianthropic statements too
literally; and tfp hops that Amsri-
cans would recognise that their nii-
mate best interests point that way
appears to have been too. much 20
expect. the promoters FIRST eonsid-
GRAFTON has been a proi, on their IN
corporations: the second has been an
attempt to run up prices 20 an en-
travagxnt heixht--a line OF action
which seems certain 70 spoil the
whole game. though not. OF course.
untli these gentlemen rave unloadsd
on to the creduioas public"