The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-02-23

nave Deen applied through Legislation.
A steadily increasing tariff, origi-
mated for the purpose of shutting out
foreign competition, in reality. re-
suited in giving the home manufact-
urer an enormous bonus in tue diff
ference between the cost of produc-
ton at home and the cost abroad
plus the tariff; and also, within the
limit at which the foreign manufact-
ured article can be sold, virtual
monopoly Of the market in the great
test consuming nation in the world
The natural result followed. The
home manufacturer, secure from
foreign competition, at once proceed
ed to prevent natural competition at
home. Trusts were organized which,
getting control of the principal manu-
featuring plants in certain industries,
proceeded to shut down certain of
them-thereby lcssening the supply
ana reduce the wages of the employ
ees in the others lowering
the cost. The profit realized bv the
participants in the combination arr.
enormous, in cases II to 15 per cent
dividends being steadily paid o
stock two thirds of which is walered
The trust then invades the foreion
market and, with the ADVANTAGES of
the most improved machinery, cheap
almost pauper labor, and patent
rights on most of the articles they
produce, or the machinery making
their production possible, undersen
on their own ground the foreign
manufacturers this government is pro-
tec'ing (?) them against.
The New York Herald recently
made compilation of these trusts
showing grand capitalization Of
2,7l7, 1913, 900, AMI that the follow
ing products are controlled by them
oil, steel and iron, coal, gas, sugar,
cigarettes and tobacco, telephones.
alcohol, electrical combinations
leather, plug tobacco, crackers, starch.
corn harvester, lumber, rubber,
dressed beef, sheet copper, paper.
acid and chemicals, mailing, silver
ware, lead, knitgoods, sash AMI doors,
wallpaper, typewriters, windowglass.
baskets, crockery, windows and doors.
smelling, ribbon, gossamer rubber
axes, bolts and nuts, photography,
tissue paper, rock salt, celluloid.
saws, rope and Irvine, threat furni
ture, stockyards, matches, ice, plate
glass, cartridges, menhaden. limo
types, refrigerators, strawboard.
milling, air brakes, envelopes. tvpe.
soha fountains, lacks, potteries,
marbles, packing, provisions, and
they are still growing in number, for,
by far, the largest part of them have
been formed in the last six months.
1t is easily seen, from the character
OF Industries controlled by them
how inimical they are to pnblic policy.
Labor unions are almost useless in
contests against the aggregate wealth
opposed to them. In fact a strike
now and then rather benefits the
trust magnate financially, lessenina
the supply and proportionately en-
HANGING tue price of his stock on
hand But even without such strike
the cost to the public of controlled
articles is arbitrarily increased. and
that brings us to another evil result
of class legislation, the demonetiza-
tion of silver
The natural effect of the cold
standard is, rs has so often been said.
to increase its purchasing power; that
Is, to lower the price of labor and the
products of labor. That it has. in
TACT done so, statistics, so often com
piled and published, have proved be-
You'd question. A trust in any arti-
Gle however, proport;onate TO its
results in the exemption
OF that article from the natural rule
and the trast participants still en-
force ana collect himetallic prices
paid in gold. The very nature of
lahor prevents its selling price and