Hutchinson gazette., 1899-04-06
ACME OF vILLAINY
TRUST WHICH cRUsHEs BOTH
CONSUMER AND PRODUCER.
How II IL Hatohed and tho Dnstardly
Methods by which II ThrIyeA Rem
edleS Proposed to Rid tho Country of
This Pest .N

Do you know what "trust Is? The
comic opera definition OF mascot is, "A
mascot 10 II mascot And we are usu
ally told that trust Ia. q trust Selfish
schemers are shrewd, even to tho
choosing OF namea Hence the "goody
goody" namo trust" was chosen fol
the acme Of villainy, A "trusC Is q
combine This combine Is entered into
TO crush competition, sustain pricer
and cheaper production. Competition
is crushed In this way, The victim Il
chosen, and his trade is located; then
ruinously low rates are offered to hii
pRtrons-below cost production II nee
essary-untll the victims trade Is de-
moralized and his patrons all taken
from him. The trust being strong END
powerful, can continue this program
until the individual manufacturer Ia
ruined or forced to sell his plant TO tho
trust at only fraction OF It's value,
Then the price Of the article goes up
again, higher than before, and the
CORNER patron OF the ruined producer
Enust begin TO pay tribute 10 the mon
lter.
But all this time the prices have
been high Ia other places SO, while
The trust was losing temporarily In one
S.ace, II was getting abnormal profits
In other places so IL could have con-
tinued this warfare indefinitely, and
the individual operator was doomed to
,9rtain destruction sooner or later,
Snus one by one the victims are marlS-
cd and exterminated. II the goods are
a kind that can be shipped to various
parts OF the country, the victims
wings are clipped short by discriminat-
Ing freight rates, and In many In
stances this Ia the only weapon that
tho trust needs, For graphic pre-
Bentation Of this feature OF trust oper-
ntions read Henry D, Lloyd's great
book, "Wealth Against Common
wealth"
On account Of this great public evil
law was passed establishing the in
terstate commerce commission, TO make
transportation rates uniform and pre-
vent discrimination. The commission
has been In existence n number Of
years, yet in its recent report IL says
''There is probably no one thing today
which does 10 much to force out the
small operator and TO build up those
trusts and monopolies against which
law and public opinion alike beat in
rain MS discrimination in freight rates,
Competition being thus crushed,
prices can easily be raised and sustain
I'd, 1t Is impossible for "hard times"
10 come to successful trust Neces-
Iities, as sugar, are usually chosen for
trust operations. Tho people must
have necessities, and they must pay
trust prices for the articles governed
by trusts This makes the trust safe,
whatever may be the price Of wheat,
sorn, cotton, wool, etc 1t is right to
sustain normal mot abnormaD prices,
II they are sustained all along the line,
10 that all producers will get the bene-
Ct OF the same. When the farmers
manufacturers prosper, for
farmers are able to buy. Then also
there is plenty Of work at good prices
for mechanics and good business for
the merchant, BY proper solution
Of the money question the normal
prices OF oil staple products would be
sustained. The sustaining Of prices Of
staple products would assure normal
to all producers Of the same
and consequently to the masses Of the
people in general. But The sustaining
Of trust prices OF trust products bene.
Ats only the few who are in the trust
and makes the masses OF the people
to the prosperity Of the
trusts
We have now seen how competition
Is crushed and prices advanced or sus-
tanned. Production Is cheapencd by
the concentration OF production IN the
most favored localities, use Of the
latest and best machinery, etc. This
Is economically correct, but IL entails
much hardship by the closing of many
thus throwing many opera.
tives out OF employment. Thus AZ the
Expense OF labor, the monsters profits
are enhanced,
AS TO remedies, the most sweeping
ono is for all the people to be in the
trust Then economy of production
would be virtue, because all would
be benefited impartially by it. How
ever rational and complete this remedy
may be, we are not ready for II, as it
would put into the hands Of the gov
,rnment many and various enterprises.
Az the present time the government
could not successfully conduct these
enterprises. 1t should begin with the
distinctly public enterprises, as the
talaoran nh railroads etc