The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-21
SATURDAY. JANUARY p. 1899
\ TRUST THAT HELPS THE FARM
IItS

We have heard no cutlery from the
farmers against the Fertilizer trust
.r,o,, cornplain that the Tobacco Trust
has brought down the price OF nrlsh'
tobacco. They say that bright TOBACCO
Is much lower now than II was Delo'o
the Trust was organized. but they do NOT
consider that other grades Of tobacco
arc also lower and they do not conSio''
that bright tobacco might have bee"
lower vet. If through the operation oil inc
Trust tho consumption of cigarettes hau
mot been increased TO an enormous ca
tent But we repeat. the farmers are
no. complaining Of the Fertilizer Trust
Nobody has said that the feruhzer lac-
tories of the South have combined ana
gotten a monopoly of the business III
order TO increase the price OF theT pro
duct N the farmer. On the contrary. the
farmers are. or ought to De- well pleased
with the Fertilizer Trost for through
the operation OF the Trust they are get
tinr better fertilizers at reduced price.
What does tho record show
During the administration OF the De
,artment of Agriculture under Colonel
Thomas Whitehead. that is TO say be-
tween the years lSSs and 1899. the price
NJ fertilizers in Virginia declined SIS
ION and the sales increased i'm q much
Greater proportion. But 90 speak more
in detail I'm 1857, the last year OF
Colonel Harrison's administration. there
were sold to the farmers of Virginia
81 600 tons Of fertilizers at the average
price of ssS per ton. I'm ls9S. the last year
of Colonel Whtehoad's administration
The sales amounted TO 22So0O tons az
SO per ton. a saving of SIS per ton on
2sS0oo tons OF fertilizers is no small
matter. We do not mean TO say that ah
this saving has been accomplished by the
Trust 1--WE use the word for the lack OF
better term. for the price of fertilizers
would have fallen I'm any event But We
desire to impress the fact that under
the operation OF the Trust the price has
not been advanced in accordance with
the theory Of antitrust orators. but that
the price has been greatly reduced and
the quality Of the goods improved.
In point OF fact that was the thing
20 be expected II has almost invariably
happened that when a trust has secured
practical control Of any article OF man
ufacture the public has gotten better
article at a lower price. The other day
We mentioned. by way OF illustration.
sugar and Illuminating oil. Now we
mention fertilizers.
question 20 the farmers of Virginia:
is the Fertilizer Trust inimical 20 Your
interests DO you object 20 Trust-made
fertilizers? For the sake OF throttling the
Trust and encouraging individual enter
prise would you be willing TO pay more
for an inferior article OF manure? We
think not. The Fertilizer Trust Is q
blessing 70 the farmer. Yet II is not a
benevolent association Il IS not in bust
ness primarily for the benefit OF the
farmer. but for the benefit OF its owners.
il does not sell a better article OF manure
at a smaller price because IL IS the
farmers frleno but because II wants 10
induce the farmer 10 increase his CON
sumption Of its goods II wants 20 make
feriinz!ng pay the farmer as wei as
possible. for il knows that the better II
pays tho more manure the farmer Will
buy ana the more he buys the greater
will be the earnings OF the Trust
There ia the logic OF the thing In
nutshell That Is why the Trust does
not put mp prices when IL has the power
10 do so. Quick sales, large sales ana
small profits IS its motto Tor in that
rule Is the greatest gain 10 tne Trust.