The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-10-14
LETTERS TO "GREENBOY.'
~. II. TYNDALE.]
Ill.

UdeIo VI eO-ChIlou InpeTidllSm anu lt6
twin sister "militarism.' While in.
terest In the trust conference recently
held 10 Chicago has not quite evsporat.
ed, it may be well to cay something of
trusts as public issue, although l
might as we'll pick up live coal. 1t is
small wonder that people call the trust
question "a burning ISSUE" 1t Ger.
tainIy is the dominating issue. whatever
other hue and cry and worthless side
issues may be raised.
More industrial trusts and mono.
polistic combines" were formed in 1893
than in the entire quarter of century
since the Standard Oil Company
parent, guardian, and pattern Of Amer
lean monopoly-tirst began to destroy
competition in illuminating gas.
All combinations Of capital and identi.
cal or similar lines Of business are
trusts. Every trust fights shy of the
word monopoly" Yet the terms are
practically identical. A patent will
give you monopoly with it's profits. II
you subsequently combine with coming
competitors you form a trust and still
monopolize certain article or line OF
articles. The only difference is that
the monopoly is at first in the singular
number and later on in the plural.
There lie barely that difference between
them attributed to the sultans OF Tur.
key by the late Mr.. Gladstone. He
said that the only difference between
the living and the dead Sultan was the
difference between Abdul-Assiz and
Abdul as Was.
1t is commended that not all combina.
tons OF business and capital have II.
legitimate purposes and not all sre at
tended with disadvantageous circum.
stances. While restricting competition,
the trusts are credited with being the
result Of competition and the natural
result of natural conditions. BY con.
solidatlon ct capitals, plants and the
management, goodly percentage Of
expense is eliminated and this makes
possible the continued use Of capital
and the uninterrupted employment Of
labor.
1t is admitted that consultations
mean loss Of position and loss of EN-.
ployment to great number OF indi.
viduals and places some occupations on
the retired list. The introduction OF
the sewing machine and other labor
saving devices is pointed out as a par
allel case. That the cases ere not par.
allel needs no exp nation from me.
But the toasted cheese in the trap at
the end OF long trail OF Limburger
leading up to it, it is the solemn prom
iss, backed by some we'll selected sam.
plee, that the price Of all the necessities
and comforts If life is cheap ened to the
consumers. This is the relatively small
quantity Of milk within the hard shell
of the cocoa nut.
My dear hoy! When the process of
concentration has come to com pIetion
the law governing both prices and
wages will come to the front with ir.
resistibe force. The consumer will be
charged the highest price that can be
squeezed out OF him. Such is human
nature. The Iaborer will be paid the
lowest wages upon which he can hold
body and soul together. For such is
human nature also.
The democratic party as now consti.
tuted has no very high opinion OF the
u. s. Supreme Court. have. And
these are the words used by the Su.
preme Court: ut IL true the results OF
trusts or combinations may be different