The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-15

Quite the reverse; the states are under
obligations to them. If the plant OF
the industries consolidated was cap
able of being put on wheels and moved
from state to state you would find
very active bidding for them. 1t is not
an unusual thing for certain localities
to guarantee free taxation for twenty
years, free water and in some instances
give the land to corporations to have
them organize under their statutes and
locate in their states.
''All have to say about trade organi-
cations and strikes is that without
violence, they are natural. They have
one object, however-their tendency to
reduce all labor to a low level. Business
| is not philanthropy. Capital AMI labor
will adjust their own relations if they
are let alone. Interference always
operates against one or the other. That
| means to the advantage of both.
There is no such thing as monopoly
in these days except that which results
from patents and copyrights.
THE true commission of 'pelf is the
customs tariff bill. 1t says to the peo-
| pie: Here is the law We have enacted
for your robbery. Do not complain of
|
| injure the machinery engaged in ex-
tracing from you what we legislate
shall be taken from you. Keep up the
| clatter while the voters on the tariff bill
| take advantage of the noise and enact
laws that cause your impoverishment
and thus contribute to the greed and
avarice of the few
Hostility to Wealth.
There is a prevailing hostility to
wealth. This is perfectly illogical. Ev-
cry one wants money. 1t is the abuse
of money, not it's possession, which is
opposed to public interest
This hostility finds its outlet in
hostile legislation in unequal and I'M
just taxation All this is probably un-
constitutional. 1t is directly against
the interest of the very class-I mean
the poorer class, whom 1t is supposed
to benefit.
I'm the absence of all disturbing
causes the direct tendency of a combi-
nation of capital is to promote economy,
reduce expenses and diminish price.
This does not mean that a person
having anything TO sell will not get for
it the largest price that he can. 1t
means that with the abundance of
capital ready for investment which
is always found everywhere, the only
way to prevent competition is TO keep
prices below inc cnillptllllNe punt
One form in which hostile action
manifests itself is by legislation which
is intended to keep corporations and
their productions out of particular
states This legislation in some states
takes the form of bills which permit
citizens to buy goods and with Inn
punity to refuse to pay for them. rms
is a premium on dishonesty. In other
states the attempt is to exclude articles
iol, of I
producers of such articles were to fol-
low the lead and to combine to keep
their commodities out of the state, 1t is
easy to see what would result l. e.,
either the people would be compelled 10
go without or they would be forced TO
pay an inOrdinate price.
Forms of Monopoly.
In these days there are two forms.
and only two forms of monopoly. one,
that which results from a patent ana
copvrights. 1t is universally recognized
that this is in the interest, not against
the interest of the public The other,
that which comes from unfair tariff
discrimination.
Tariff for revenue need not be con-
sidered. The expenses of the govern
ment must, of course, be provided Tor.
Tariff for the purpose of equallzlng
against foreign bounties or foreign dis
elimination does not need to be 1ustl-
fled. Beyond that there is no excuse
for giving to one industry protection !
of 100 per cent, as against per cent Tor !
another or any more than 10 per cent. |
The result is that the government
feeces the community at large in the |
interest of some favored industry.
TT must be kept in mind that this /
is a rich country; not a poor country. |
1t must be kept in mind that the OBJ
ject of every one is to make the coun- /
try stronger, wealthier. more import
ant, more influential. The hostile action !
to which I referred. legislation against
if followed to its legiti-
mate results. would make the country
less powerful. its people less prosper
GUS and would destroy the influence
which comes from the richness of thle
land and its people.
Citizens are divided into two classes
and those who wish 10
live upon the industry of others. 1t is
they who are without capital, who are
hostile to it. This is only another mode
of stating the obvious proposition that
1t is those who are without means VINO
wish to have it without work.
Aroused Great Interest.
Mr. Havemeyer's statement aroused
great interest, and the next three hours
we're devoted to answering questions
asked him in rapid succession by the
members Of the committee. He made
an incidental statement which the COM
mission construed into an admission
hat the business was not profitable
now. The witness confessed that his ]
had very little regard for the ]
Welfare of rivals in business, saying I
hat prestige, ability, experience and
wealth would win in the long run in '
he struggle. and more trusts were an I
Example of the survival of the fittest in s
business.
THAT is trade he said. land the !
ooner you realize it and quit trying TO I
ontrol it by federal legislation the bet s
er for all A man cannot expect TO I
ave himself continually wet-nursed by I
he government. If men do not want l
o buy our stocks, they need not. They &
on't need government protection. If I
hey wade in and get stuck, let them S
,et out, and if they wish, wade
n again The fate of rival concerns is c
heir affairs, not ours" [
He declared that the tariff enabled /
he steel rail trust to mulct the public T
o the extent of SO per ton, and said, S
that Mr.. Carnegie had not II
ct stated what he was going to do a
With his money. t
Question of Labor.
On the question of labor. Mr.. Have \