The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-01-07
In the Matter of Trusts.

From the Philadelphia. Pa, Ledge.
The springfield Republican says, This is the
trust news OF single day a recorded IN yester-
days commercial papers All The gas Interests N
pff,Shf,rr ha We ldAtci in S6 40 fuocom
bialiion; the proposed combination ot Hlnt gas
bottle manufacturers Is about periecied, pShs Ate
out for 4 combination OF chemical manufacturers,
efforts 10 combine the mechanical rubber aisuutae
turers are meeting with success additions 70 the
ore pooi Is being Organized At Cleveland
To this our contemporary adds:
-our honstsi competitive industrial system Is
becoming ono Of hypocrfiical preienoss
When the prohibitcry duties which destroy
foreign competition IN our markets are ctsR
sidered in association with the monnPollstc
trusts which eliminate from mercantile enter
nrise domestic rivalry IN trade. il cannot rea
sonaby be coniended that our boa.ted indus
trial policy, which pretends 70 pruieci at
alike. is q wholly sincere one The ihngiey
Tariff bill passed Congress upon the distinct
representation Of its author and promoters
that il was u revenue measure. la the sense
Of furnishing adequate revenue to the Gov
ernneni. economically administered. It has
been from the first such failure M to prove
eonspicnously inexAci the predictions OF those
who are responsible for i. Bat, although 4
has failed 10 provide Sufficient revenue, it has,
70 a remarkable degree, promoted new trusts
or combinations and fusfered old ones ~ "
.traint OF trade. By creating aud encoarag
ing trusts. the Dingley tariff has largely re.
moved the element Of that wholesome CON
petition in trade. which the wisesi authorities
have a; al times and everywhere declared 80
be the very life OF trade.
This II has dsne by restricting production,
hy the suspension Of works or hy otherwise
limiting their output While doing THIS she
MANY and powerful trusts aud combinations
which have grown up under the fostering IN.
tiuenees Of the Dngley act hsve generally IA
creased the prices Of their products, thus
taxing CONSUMERS, while depnviug a proper
ton Of their employees Of Hork and wages.
The trusts are iuimieai 20 public policy, mol
only because they are monopolisils and ln &c
strainr Of competition. but lserAuse they op.
preSs labor and pat onsFuuS burdens on the
Shole body q the people IA the shape ef en-
hanged prices. There has been laiterly
scarcely trust formed the first step OF which
was not that OF limiting production by shut
ing down works and by thus reducing the
numbers Of wage earners- TIE next step hAs
been to put zap prices. The Sugar lrsst, ioT
instance, paws regularly II per cent. diyi-
dend and ~ times extraordinary one, uPoE
many millions Of wAtered capital. THIS ex
iraorlinary dividend Is paid By the sO,0a.
COO consumers for the sole benefit 81 the
mariners Ia the trust. II the Government mere
10 aiiempl 10 put tax on sugar equal 90 the *
gregate II the dividends paid by the Sugar
Trust, the popular protest woald be 70 great
and general as TO threaten revelation. Yet
the people would eheerfnlly pay taxes for the
support Of the Government which under 40
circumstances should ihey be Obliged to pay
for the enrichment Of the few members uf
monopolisiic trust. Again, lesser affair,
though Il concerns Il large proportion Of the
community, IS the Paper Trust. To which Ne
referred recently. The readers of neWspa.
pers alone pay in the aggregate 10 the Trust
about -. 900. 600 year, which Is represented
by the Trusts increased price of the paper
used bv the newspapers alone. The bnyerS
Of books. OF all printed paper. mas, pay irib.
ute to thss combination Of dealers thai. aided
by prohibitoTy duties. has killed fair and
open competition and arbitrarily bxed tbs
selling price % paper to suit itself.
II Congress had any genuine regard for the
interests Of the people. or il 1t we're sincere
Of purpose respecting their common weliare,
or ia regard to the proper projections Of Ia
Dor. il would promptly transfer 10 the free
list every product controlled by conscience
less and predatory trust which redUres pro-
duciien cuts off working people from work
aud wages and increases prices to the tens OF
millions Of consumers Trusts should be-
treated by Congress as outlaws with no rights
to be respected by anybody.