The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-24
A Merchants Complaint.

To the Editor Of The Post.
As the public mind has awakened to the
fact that trusts and combinations organ
lied for the purpose of controlling produce
ton and exchange and absorbing the
profits thereof should be suppressed and
as few realize how their whitening breath
may reach the most humble citizen, and
by what subtle means they attempt to
crush those who dare resist their unjust
demands, | beg sufficient space in your
valuable columns to relate the experience
Of one doing business in this city who is
under the ban of combination that con-
trolls the manufacture and sale of class
of goods that could be thrown into the
sea without detriment to the human race,
but With disaster to the fishes.
The writer having no desire to possess
the earth TO the exclusion Of all others
but having the temerity to divide his
profits with his patrons by giving them a
liberal discount from syndicate prices, has
been the innocent cause of arouslug a
tempest, mot in a teapot bat in a
mortar. That a lightweight David should
dare to shy rock at the trust Goliath
was enough TO throw local competitors into
a burning rage during which they threat
ened me with boycott, emetics, cathartlcs,
ruin and all of the plaques CT Egypt. |
were verdant and ] needed them not. Had
not forsworn allegiance 10 a car and
crossed the deep to bee me a citizen Of
this Republic, the basis of which is per-
sonal liberty? Could not under the
aegis OF that bird freedom give away
20 or 100 per cent of my property II SO dis
posed? / thought | could, but ! reckoned
without the trust. and the evil day came,
The LEGAL dealers sent up wall to the
National Retail Dealers association; they
repeated the cry 10 the National Whole
sale Dealers association and reinforced
it with the command that they cease to
sell me goods, thus cutting me of at the
fountain head and freezing me out. The
edicl went forth, and the octopus reaching
out its tentacles from New York would
have strangled me, but / lodged, and now
were It not fer the American love fer the
almighty dollar my business would be
ruined and | in the ranks of the unem-
ployed would be seeking job,
Fortunately, there are dealers who see
the injustice of this attempt to
force me out OF a business that
has absorbed all of my energies during
all OF my life, and they have risked the
displeasure OF the giant octopus in the In
terest of justice. Therefore | am still
enabled 20 procure all of the goods my
trade demands, yet some OF them must be
purchased in the neghboring realm OF
Queen Victoria (Canadal.
Others are bargained for under the COW
err OF night. and the seal OF secrecy. They
are shipped by the underground route.
packed In barrels and without name OF
consignor or consignee, less the all-seelng
eye of the trust catch on" and the whip
crack and this in a land OF equal rights.
La libertad Is uno da los mas preciosos
dones que los oieios dieron los hombres. -
Yet they tell me | have not the liberty TO
give away that which is my own. All.
how like the czar, l trust none will mis-
take this for the CRY 'pcccavi.' l rather
enjoy battle. and should my business
tact fail to protect me. then will l ask
the great State OF Texas II she has law
that will save me from the garrote Of the
merclless corporation Yours respectfully.
Ben Wilbush.
AnrIl 81 1899