Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-06-16

cluSle SOlu StdHudTu UdsiS maui tho
trusts of today a business necessity.
Constantly falling prices made the
continuance and new enterprises and
the financially weak enterprises i'm
possible, and combination to check the
gold standard downward tendency OF
prices imperative. And one of the
first trusts, the secret railroad trust,
has given it's powerful aid in estab-
fishing all other trusts.
In considering whittier we have al
ready drifted, Howard H. Hogan,
wholesale grocer of San Francisco, in
a letter to the Examiner OF that city,
rises to what the San Francisco Star
calls a social point of order.
Mr.. Hogan wants to know-wtll
some Of our economists or statesmen
please enlighten him, for he is but one
of many-whether this is America or
Russia. Mr.. Hogan has troubles
which are not peculiarly his own. He
has built up a business in the sale OF
sugar to retail dealers, which sugar
and here his troubles begin-he i'm
ports from Hong Kong, paying freight
and duty, and even then impudently
underselling the Pacific coast branch
of the Sugar trust at the very doors OF
its refinery. The trust has tried, and
is still trying, the plan Of underseli-
ing Mr.. Hogan, but that is costly. To
make the grocer lose $780, it must sac
rifice at least $4,000 of the profits 1t
would otherwise make. Sovereignty
over the sugar market comes high at
that price. So now the trust Is play
ing its card of coercion, which is more
effective and far less expensive than
old-fashioned competition by under
selling. The trust has notified the
wholesale grocers, and they have noti-
fed the retailers, that those who buy
any sugar at all from Mr.. Hogan Will
not be allowed to buy any of the trust
made sugar from anybody. Hogan has
not enough to supply the market, and
grocers have reason to fear further re-
taliation if they persist in patronizing
him. The part of prudence for them
is to make no such powerful enemy,
at the risk of being cut OFF altogether
from the wholesale market. AS con-
sequence Mr. Hogan's trade wanes, and
he wants to know where we are at"
Mr.. Hogan's suggestion that this Is
Russia, not America, is not well made.
Such usurpations of imperial authority
are not allowed in the land Of the
car. Nicholas alone, and no mere
self-appointed combination of robber
barons, is empowered to lay waste
mems businesses and render worthless
their property. 1t is certainly not Rus-
STA, Mr.. Hogan. Perhaps 1t is Eng
land-or, say, three centuries ago. In
the Long Parliament, which broke the
power of Charles l., member COM
planned of the monopolies Instituted
by the king and his favorites, in utter
defiance of law, that they dip in our
dish, they sit by our fires; we find them
in the dye-vat, the wash-bowls, and
the powdering tub They share with
the cutler in his box. They have
marked and sealed us from head to
foot"
II that is not a good description OF
the operations Of the Sugar trust, the
coal trust, and the balance of our new
predatory nobility, it would be difiicult
to frame one in words. The Sugar
trust has its whole fist in every sugar
howl. and it is teaching Mr.. Hogan
that its prerogatives are not to be in
terfered with.
Not Russia but the England of Char
les l., before the activity Of Pym, and
Hampden, and Milton, and Cromwell,
had broken the power of these monop-
olies and the kings neck into the bar
gain-that seems to be where We are
at" Mr.. Hogan.
While considering this matter, Mr..
Hogan, and all others interested, would
do we'll to remember that the situation
Is constantly growing worse, not bet
ter. Advance sheets Of the CONNER
cial Year Book, issued by the Journal
of Commerce, of New York, and quoted
by the Evening Advertiser, of that
city. show that the increase in the
number and capitalization Of industrial
combinations during the past year is
unprecedented in the history of the
world. Says the Commercial Adver-
tiser, "they are now the dominating
factor in the industrial and CONNER
cial business of the country" Nearly
twice as many exist today as year
ago. Following are the statistics
showing the situation March 1, 1898,
and March 1, 1899:
Organizations $50 200
Common stock ...si,247 9lS, 1881 49, $780, ISL, 419
Preferred stock ... S70515,200 1913, 764, 033 |
Total stock ...s5, 49, 494, 1S1 So, 2O3 81, 452
Bonds ~ .......... 7143SS,661 37S,770,091 |
Stocks and bondss5, 49,, 1892, S42 50, 662 "a, $40
Those figures show an increase OF 76 |