The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-27
BRYAN ATTACKS
NEBRASKA TRUSTS
MAKES SPEECH DEALING WITH
ARGo STARCH WORKS.
The Charges Made Against the Argo
Company Are Analyzed-If People
Of Nebraska Defend Starch Trust
They Must Defend All Others.

NebraskI City, Neb., sept 26.-HOn
w. j. Bryan spoke to a. large crowd
here tonight. The speech had been
looked forward to with much interest
because Mr.. Bryan had announced
that ne would deal with the trust
question as affected by the suit in
stituted by Attorney General Smythe
to annul the sale of the Argo starch
works, of this city, to the National
Starch company popularity known as
the Starch trust.
Mr.. Bryan came down from Lin
coin this afternoon. lie was accom-
panied by Mrs Bryan and personal
friends and also by quite a number of
supporters from Lincoln and other
towns on the way. The party was met
at the railroad station by two or three
marching clubs and by large num-
Der of admirers who escorted them
10 their hotel. There were not many
unfriendly Interruptions, but EVIDENT
" some had been expected, for pre-
vious to the meeting the mayor OF the
city issued an order saying that there
had been rumorS of trouble and warn
ing against it. The meeting was held
in the court house grounds and the
people stood under the trees much of
the time in the rain While Mr.. Bryan
spoke. Mr.. Bryan said, in part:
"A prominent Republican has ac-
cused the Democrats of representing
the forces of lawlessness. l mention
this because the Republicans of Ne
braska City have met and protested
against the enforcement of a statute
of the state of Nebra ska, and Re-
publican Judge was chairman of the
resolutions committee. While the
meeting was called a non-partisan one,
it's purpose was purely political and
it is worth while noting that the Re-
publicans seem better able to enforce
the statutes against petty offenders
than they are to enforce statutes
against great corporations.
"The attorney general has COM
menced proceedings, not to destroy
local manufacturing establishment, but
to prevent the manufacturing estab-
lshment from entering into trust.
In this connection it may be well 20
note the different steps which have
been taken"
Mr.. Bryan then proceeded to ana
lyze the charges made by the ArgO
Manufacturing company. In May, 1899,
he said it was prosperous company
and successfully competed with the
national starch trust. In September of
that year it Joined with other starch
manufacturing concerns in forming the
United Starch company, with capital
of $4,000, 900. to compete against the
starch trust. Continuing, Mr. Bryan
said
About a year later, that is, in Aug
ust or September of this year, 1900 the
third step was taken and the United
Starch company joined the trust. First,
we have an independent company,
growing and prospering upon its mer-
its; second this Independent company
joins other companies to fight the
starch trust, and third, this independ-
ent company, with its associates, joins
the starch trust and competition is at
last destroyed.
'If the people of Nebraska City de-
fend the starch trust they must be pre-
pared to defend all the other trusts,
for it is impossible for them to destroy
trusts located elsewhere and defend a
trust located in their own city. Are
the people of Nebraska City willing to
subject themselves and their country
men to the eXtortiOn practiced by all
the trusts in order to maintain one
trust which has one factory in their
city? AS a matter of fact, the people
of Nebraska City are more interested
in the dissolution of the starch trust
than the people of other parts of the
state"
THE people of your town have al
ready seen a distilery closed down by
the Whiskey trust What is to pre-
vent the Argo company from being
closed down by the Starch trust?
When all the factories belong to one
corporation the closing down of one
factory does not bring loss to the cor
poration, because the work can be
carried on somewhere else but the
-Argo company. as an independent
company, could not close down with
out serious loss, therefore the chances
are greater in favor of the local fac
tory being closed down under a trust
than under independent management
The Argo company as an independent
company could not afford TO close down
and turn off its employees, but when
the Argo company becomes a member
of the National Starch company its
employees have no way of protecting
themselves, because the work here can
be suspended, while the employees are
starved into submission.
IF an order comes from the heat
Office in New York to reduce the wages
In all the starch factories, the mer
have nothing to do but submit The
same greed which leads the trust L
raise prices and eXtort from consumer,
will allow it to lower wages and do ir,
justice to the employees.
THE attorney general is seeking tC
enforce a statute of Nebraska Tn,
law is good law and ought to be en-
forced, and the people of Nebraskl
City ought to hold a mass meeting t
commend him rather than condemn
him. The fusion forces believe in en-
forcing both state laws and nationa
laws against the trusts. The Kansa
City platform demands the annihila
tion of all private monopolies, and /
the Democratic ticket is successful,
believe legislation will be enacte,
which will make it impossible for tn
National Starch company to buy, bull,
or wheedle' the Argo company int
joining trust, and with the dissolu
tion of the starch trust will come tn
dissolution of all other trusts whicl
are now plunderlng the people,"