Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-16
The Mother of the Octopus.

sertion that the protective system is the
mother of all the Trusts Is studied the
more apparent becomes it's absurdity Mr..
Havemeyer doubtless realized when he put
forth that declaration that his statement
would be subjected to instant and intense
scrutiny. and he could have expected moth
ing else than a demonstration of it's lack of
logic. The only conclusion to be drawn
from the affair is that Mr. Havemeyer was
playing the part of the cuttle-fish and seek
ing to becloud the waters in which he
moves with the ink of acrimonious political
discussion in order to permit him possibly
to escape that direct attention which his
own case requires.
The Star yesterday called attention to the
fact that the Sugar Trust Mr.. Have
meyers production, received, according to
his own account, mere trifie of protection
from the tariff law. 1t remains to note
that there is even less protective tariff basis
for the Sugar Trusts great companion in
the field Of gigantic combinations the
Standard Oil Company. Oil is now on the
free list and despite this fact, and in the
absence Of adequate federal and state leg
islation. the Standard Oil Company con-
tinues to flourish and grow. The connec-
ton between the cause and effect adduced
ny WI grows Inln 10 the VAN
ishing point in this instance.
The Trusts spring from the strong temp
tations presented by the business condi-
tons of the country, temptations INSULT
GENTLY considered and met by the statutes
The fact that they have developed COIN
cidentally with a period of protective tariff
policy in this country is a happening not
sequence. AS well might the cyclones in
the western states be attributed to the
sweep of prosperity now covering the land
1t Is TO be feared that Mr.. Havemeyer has
fallen into the very vein of reasoning
which he in his testimony attributed to the
unthinking masses of the people who
clamor against the tariff system His
proposition that the protective rates are
the cause of the Trusts sounds far more
ike the utterance of political dema gogue
than the deliberate judgment of a shrewd
business man. 1t cannot be questioned that
there is in some corners of the public mind
vague impression that the Trusts and the
tariff are kindred The process of develop
ing this thought is simple. The government
imposes high rate upon certain commodi-
ties in order to prevent undue foreign COM
petition and to strengthen home industries
As an incident of that rate profits go into
the pockets of certain manufacturers
Meanwhile the tendency develops among
the larger American capitalists to combine
their interests to prevent competition in the
domestic field and in consequence large
profits go into their pockets. The fact that
in some Instances the individual capitalists
are the same in the two cases and that
certain of the protected articles are like
wise articles of production by the Trusts
has not failed to impress the public in its
moods Of pessimism- The many discrepan-
cies between the protective system and the
upgrowth of the Trusts do not similarly
assert themselves to the intelligence of the
people who take their logic in the main
from the free trade political orators.
Mr.. Havemeyer cannot hope to succeed
in his effort to distract attention from the
growing evil of Trusts by seeking to throw
odium upon protection, of which the sugar
refinerS, coyeting free raw materials no
longer feel the need. The tariff is not a
vital political issue. This country will have
none of free trade, and is reasonably well
satisfied with its scale of customs rates at
present 1t has other and more active
items of political divergence in view just
now. One of these is a search for the
means to stop the growth of the Trusts.
And d remedy for this evil will be found
despite the devices of the Havemeyers,
and the quicker. perhaps. because of the
insolence displayed in defense of this
menace to the countrys continued COM
mercial prosperity.
Japhet in search of his father met with
many disappointments. The Sugar Trust
Octopus in search of a mother has blunder-
ed in it's first selection and must try again.