Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-07-06
TWELVE PAGES
THURSDAY, JULY c, 1899.
AN ENDLESS TApE-wORM.

THE VIRGINIAN-PlLOT has al
ready remarked upon the evident com
blne" sought by the trusts with con-
sumner against labor, material and
productions: Under this scheme, the
trusts are to make great profits on
watered capital, and propitiate purchas
ers and consumers With the best goods
Mt the lowest rates. How is this won
derful result to be reached? The trusts
say: by economy in materials and
labor-by reducing the costs of pro-
duction." In other words, by sacrlfic-
ing the men who furnish materials and
do the wor<-the oroducers-to the
greed of the monopolists and the mean
ness OF consumers.
Fewer laborers are 10 be employed.
and at less pay: materials are to be
used with least waste. and ut the
lowest price. Competition being utterly
crushed by monopoly the monopolists
endeavor to ingratiate themselves with
all who produce nothing and consume
everything by this base and cruel pro-
position, that they and the consumers
shall grind. skin and rob the produc-
The big coal combine Just effected in
the Pittsburg district is an illustration.
Bonds, bearing G per cent. interest, arc
10 be issued 10 the sum of $4,000, 900;
S10,000.000 in Preferred stock will be
guaranteed al & per cent. and there is
to be no less than $50, 100000 of COM
mon stock To get all it can out of the
business" This is $4,000, 900 of consoli-
dated and organized capital, to mono
police coal for the more rapid enrich
ment of the mGnorolizers. We are told
that only the. most profitable plants"
will be operated: the others will be
shut down" ut will not be ncces-
sary." says the announcement of this
deal. ito increase the cost of coal to
the consumer III order to pay dividends
on this $40.OOOO0o of capital mostly
fctitious); THAT can be accomplished
BY THE SAVING IN OPERATING
EXPENSES"
Capital avows It's intent to bleed
production to the last drop but II
hypocritically affects the greatest soil.
citude for consumers: but once i'm the
saddle. it will surely run over every
body and everything rough shod. and
IT consumers be not n greedy set of
rascals. mostly fools. they will comprc-
bend in advance. or soon learn by bit.
ter experience. that they are among the
people whose SAFEGUARD Is free com
petition and unrestricted production,
AS the LEONARD does not change his
spots. nor tho I1thiocian his color. so
the speculator in the necessities Of
mankind is not seeking monopoly 70,
the benefit of anybody but himself. and
he Will equally Cypress dealers pro.
ducers and consumers the instant no
has full grasp of the rcins But even
were MS overtures 10 consumers true.
can any honest and respectable con.
sumner accent them and be n party to
the betrayal Of the producers. upon
whose materials and industry all men
must depend for their very lives?
But the scheme as declared is TO
operate only the most profitable con.
Germs The others are to be closed. ana
nobody shall open them. Thus thous.
nnds OF men are to lie thrown OH, ot
employment, and their wives and chin.
drcn are to suffer and starvc that the
monopollsts may all become millionairne
by pauper!zing labor and corpetition
and that consumers may wax fat on the
best products of the land at the lcas
outlay. Yet we already see. not only
the suppression Of competition In labor