Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-07-01
DOWN WIN TIVE TRUSTS.

The Antitrust League IL preparing
for "a vigorous war. II hns issued the
following stirring address to the pub
lic:
9Th, Illinois Antitrust League II
composed Of citizens Of the various pO.
litical parties. representatives Of the
diverse elements, creeds and nntiOnali-
ties, constituting the cosmopolitan
character Of the population Of Chicago.
However. they all feel the common
interest of American citizenship and
are anxious TO discharge their duties
as such. to the end that the best In
terests of the mass OF the people In
subserved and that any dangers men.
acing the body polite he removed by
loyal and legal methods cOnformable TO
the laws OF the State of Illinois and In
harmony with the institutions Of our
common country. The Illinois Anti
Trus, League owes It's existence To u
realization of the conditions now pres
cnt that were foretold by the founders
Of the two great political parties.
Thomas Jefferson and Abraham l.in-
y
power has become so unbearable that
II no longer screens Its designs. The
1000 mllllonaires OF our country own
or control our country, to the destr'ic'
ton of the middlcmen and the absO-
lutte impoverishmcnt Of the laboring
men and women. The form that this
practice has taken Is that of trusts.
sh.. "a hn ,vt., ga. thar. IL
no production nor distribution Of prod.
ucts. natural and artificial, nor Of trans
portatlon that Is not in the hands Of
trusts
Toward the worklngmen AMI sales
men. retail dealers and middlemen a
large number II not all OF whom are de-
prived of an honest livelihood. the plea
IL economy But Is the consumer the
beneficiary of that economy Far
from II. All the prices are already en-
HANGED from ~ to 100 per cent. DO any
Of the hundreds of thousands of EN-
ployes secure any of the alleged benc-
fits! l. there any compensation to the
mulutudes of men and women thus
thrown out Of an honest employment
and their families driven 10 penury
and desperation; None. Where then
does this artificial gain 90 to- The an
swcr IL easily found. The millionaires
their promoters and other miniOns hny,
pockets that are fathomless. The stock
H. watered many times the actua
value; the bond issues represent more
than the honest market value Of the
assets: the salaries Of presidents, iii
rectOrs. attorneys and other fayol'ie'
eat up the marrows Of the combines
so that while millionaires and thril
tools grow richer their employees arr
placed on starvation wages and large
number Of others are thrown out Of ON
ployment. reduced to the condition %
paupers and their families driven u
starvation.
Nor il this economic cruelty con
finrh to these employees. The r"ial
dealers are obliged 10 close their stores
the small property owners find thei
stores vacant. the small tradrsinei
mechanics and professional men nm
themselves without customers, VIM
the farmers are AZ the mercy of thrs
VAMPIRES and the railroads. who's
freight rates they control and whic
absorb most Of the usufruct Of III
farmers.
This condition Of affairs wer
gloomy, indeed, II II were legal. Bu
the trusts In their greed have Over
stepped their bounds; In oyerreachin
themselves they Lave disresarded IN
law. both In spirit and letter iielyin
upon the impnnity OF the past the
have placed themselves within the pal
of the civil and criminal laws Of mos