Mexico Missouri message., 1900-08-23

~ ouu'tS dHu all articles en-
tering into the manufacture
of such goods upon the free
list. The amendment was rejected in
the house of representatives by vote
of 14S to 1914 strict party vote. Al.
of the silver republicans, populists
and democrats supported the amend
ment, and every republican present
voted to reject it. That amend
ment was the outgrowth Of
the conviction, that under our
industrial civilization high
tariff necessarily becomes the moth
er of trusts" 1t is the explanation
of the Kansas City platform in its
ment of existing antitrust laws and
the enactment of others, yet more
stringent, but also for its ringing dec
laration that tariff laws should be
amended by putting products of
trusts upon the free list, to prevent
monopoly under the plea of protec-
ton"
THE TARIFF AND TRUSTS.
This demand of our national plat
form is supported by the following
concise summary of facts. Labor-sav.
ing machinery, as L have already
shown, has greatly multiplied pro-
duction, and thus under existing high
tariff conditions, in some measure,
supplanted labor. The output of ma
chimes in whatever line of industry
employed is so great that according
to conservative estimates, if run upon
full time for six months in any given
year their output will be ample to
meet the necessities of the home mar
ket for period ranging from twelve
to eighteen months. The conclusion,
| therefore, can not be escaped that
with policy of commercial exclusion
the machines must he restricted in
their output by closing down or run
ming upon half-time, or there must
be such consolidation as will enable
monopolies to limit production, and
fix the price of manufactured articles
regardless of the law of supply and
demand. The markets being linn
tied by the barriers of obstructive
taxation. the consumption of the
products of the machines are thus
limited. \ tariff trust, therefore, I'M
der the republican system of protec-
ton, instead of being a subject of de-
nunciation by Republicans. must
be tolerated, if not commend
ed, because it furnishes the
only avenue of escape from ruinous
competition. The home market can
only consume a meager percentage
of the output of labor-saving ma
chimes. because practically there is
no foreign market except in disregard
of the laws of reciprocal trade. 1t is
true that our manufacturers do sell
their surplus products to foreigners
cheaper than they sell to the home
consumer, but the loss, if any, is
made good at the expense of our
own people. The net result, there
fore, of the existing industrial civili-
cation with the Dingley law in force
is to compel the Organization of
trusts, thus limiting production and
enhancing the prices of products here,
while at the same time restricting our
market abroad. 1t is very difficult
economic feat, as this country has
learned, to sell to every nation in the
world whilst refusing to buy from
any.
That a high tariff does enable mo-
nopolies to intrench themselves be-
hind its walls and ply their nefarious
occupations at the expense of the
consumers is becoming more and more
apparent to the American people. 1
quote in this connection an extract
from an interview with a distin-
guished citizen of our country explain
ing the operations of the great Car
negie Iron and Steel Trust. He says:
The Carnegie company is a practi-
cally impregnable monopoly. 1t con-
trolls all the materials of its manufac-
turing processes, from the iron ore
of the Mesaba range to the finished
article. 1t is a member of a combi-
nation or trust that includes the con-
Germs big enough to be formula bic
competitors. Its enormous profits
enable it by sheer weight of money to
crush out competition from smaller
concerns. Competition from abroad
is effectually shut out by the tariff
The government of the United States
is a powerful partner in the enter
prise. Take the government out of
the partnership, demolish the wall be-
hind which these incredible profits |
have been gathered in, and the Car
negie company would no longer be
able to tax the country as il has taxed |
it for the last eight years."
Fellow citizens, this is an example |
of the methods employed by all tho
trusts. The exorbitant exactions of the
Sugar Trust at this time are giving
the American people an object les |
son, instructive and yet very eXpen- |
sive. The retail merchants, the hotel |
keepers. and nearly all other business |
classes are in the iron grasp of trust |
monopolies, which paralyze trade and |
intimidate individual enterprise. Dur |
ing the last few years the |
trusts have succeeded in removing the |
scales" from the eyes of many of |
that great thrifty class of our peo- |
pie known as commercial travellers. |
Year by year the ranks of this sturdy |
and enterprising business class are
being thinned, because of the rapa-
cious greed of monopolies.
However the Standard Oil Trust |
and other trusts continue to enlarge |
their powers and enhance their |
profits. The Standard Oil Trust re- |
Gently declared a dividend of per |
cent, which added to prior dividends, |
amount to IS per cent. for the present |
year. or dividends aggregating in |
amount more than one-third of the |
entire capital of the company.
The Mckinney variety of ''prosperi- |
"" which has been on exhibition re- |
Gently has manifested its presence |
largely. by marking up the prices of
life's memorable necessities. / could |
stand here till the going down of the |
sun multiplying citations and piling |
evidence upon evidence to show the
practical plundering operations of the |
trusts. l will conclude with a single |