The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1899-10-06
THE TRUST cOSrgRENCE-BY john !,
INGALLS,.

New York Journal.
The Chicago Trust Convention.
while barren in practical effect, must
be fertile in valuable results in the
near future. In Il formal WAY it
touched the button that has set the
machinery of public opinion in mo-
ton. 1t was Il voice crying IN the
wilderness. All reforms must have
an Initiative. and the Indispensable
prerequisite is to get the people to
think. With free thought, free
speech and Il free press, no wrong,
however intrenchcd and fortified, can
endure. The inertia OF society is
hard to overcome; we all arc disposed
to bear the ills we have rather than
lily to those we know not OF, but once
in motion, the momentum is irresist-
iblc. Whatever the object Of hostil.
ity, whether expectorating in public
places or holding Il race in slavery, IL
must 80.
The convention was composed OF
thoughtful, level.heade men reprc.
sentins all phases OF belief. Nobody
stopped over. There was no heat nor
passion, nor any exhibition of politi-
cal partisanship. The cranks and
d%emagognes were absent. The
speakers were em,nently sane, and
INDUCED In no threats nor forebod-
ings, nor pess.mism, nor despair.
Bryan very sensibly declined to enter
INTO Il tournament Of %eloquencc with
bourkc Cochran for the applause Of
the groundlingS, and the speeches
generally were as calm and practical
as the arguments of lawyers to the
court sitting in chambers. All ad.
mItted the gravity of the issue, its
novelty and the absence Of prece.
dents. The dangers were conceded.
but there WAS no denuciation. The
consultations Of a meeting of bank
directors in their parlor could not
have been more rational and dig
nificd.
But the bardihood and e]lTrontcrv
of ex-tiOv. Foster and othera6yocates
or tile trusts, in claiming that while
diminishing the cost of production
they reduced the price to consumers,
was enough to give the Statue of
Liberty Enlightening the World
apopleXy. 1t is singular that u de-
bator as shrcwd and alert as Colonel
did not call attention TO the
fact that with scarcely an exception
the prices of all the great staples
controlled by the trusts have been mr..
blLrarily raised since the competition
mas Teen crushed. Il would be in
terestlng to hear an explanation of
The bencticence of the increase in the
price Of wire nails from $l.25 to 49, so
IN less 1ltan twelve months; of from ,
to 100 per cent in wall paper; of ,
10 per cent IN window glass: of Is
DER cent in rubber goods. If. these
lhilahtlropists diminish the cost Of
material tue expense Of manu-
and of distribution by o or
datloh under one management. how :,
1T happen that the price Of ,
wire, furniture. agricultural "
implements and nearly all the neces- y
aries OF life Is DOUBLED and multi :
lied to the consumer. who gets less "
or tile raw material and pays more '
or the manufactured product? =
These altruists WHO are engaged in :
usincss solely for the advantage of !,
mankind reply that the rise Is be-.
the demand is greater than tbe
lpply. "
But do they not deliberately re-. =,
,rict and limit themselves? II cons. "
were free. demand and sun. =,
y would be regulated by the inexor. y,
laws OF trade and not by the Gu.
ldity and greed of those who create =.
- oe"'e Il