The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-07-07
The Household and the Trusts.
From the washington Post.


For many years Harper Bazaar has beer
publication devoted exclusively to the
interests of women It has been far in the
lead as the arbiter Of fashions, it has been
accepted as the wade mecum in social af-
fairs, and it has welded an influence in
proportion to its excellence. Very re-
markable as it, therefore, to find in the
columns of this paper an editorial which
touches directly upon a question which is
to be an important factor in the approach
ing campaign.
1t is true that the editorial does not pro-
fess to be political in its tone. 1t simply
discusses the trust issue in its relation to
the household, ignoring all reference to
platform declarations and congressional
legislation, but its attitude of opposition
and the reasons it advances for this hos
tility will have all the more weight be-
cause politics have seemingly no connec-
ton Herewith. According to the Bazaar
the mothers of the country have per-
sonal interest in the trust question because
following upon the formation of trusts in
the several industries there has been rise
in prices of all these articles of household
consumption. Figures are presented to
prove this statement, and it is argued that
the low price of sugar and of oil does not
offset the advance in other articles of daily
use. 1t is human nature, says the Bazaar,
for men to make money, and when few
persons control ninety or ninety five per
cent of business supplying the needs of
whole country s'they will put up the
prices just as high as they dare, and they
dare do just about what they place, be-
cause they are so strong they can crush
out any individual resistance.
The matter of increased cost is not how
ever, in the opionion of the Bazaar, the
most dangerous feature of the trusts. Far
more serious is the fact that the field of
opportunity for the growing boy is almost
entirely removed. the chance for individ
ual effort reduced to minimum. Upon
this point, the Bazaar says in vigorous Ian
.suage
Take the Standard Oil company, for
instance The profits of this concern for
the current year are estimated at S92,
900, 900 Would not Mr. Rockefeller
smile if your son set out to establish a
business that would snatch the power to
fix prices out of Mr. Rockefeller's hands +?
Precisely there is where trusts have moth
ers by the heartstrings. 1t is not so bad
about prices--we may struggle and meet
this-but trusts impose upon our SONS a
future of serfdom. The individual enter
prise that is possible under reign of trusts
is resort to the economic conditions of the
barbarian. The alternative is serfdom-a
clekship, if you will, a managerial position
at handsome salary in the trust concern,
perhaps, but he is the minion of the sugar
king, the cool baron, the trust that employs
him. He is a creature of the trust, with
no hope, no future in which he may be
master of himself This is woman cause
for hating trusts, for fearing monopolistic
tendencies of every sort Her boy, yours,
and yours are defrapded of their American
birthright-liberty and independence
while trusts operate to create Il royal de-
scent of money kings to rule the ''com-
mon people. Woman's enmity against
trusts is not on economic grounds 1t
stands on the American principle of liberty
and equal rights, and the strength of it is
the force of mothers pride in her son.
This is view of the trust situation
which has been but little emphasized up to
the present time Expressed, as it is, By
publication which has no political bias
and which has always been an acknowl-
edged representative of womanhood, it
must be regarded as as utterance of great
Importance. The women, of course, have
no vote, except in few commonwealth,
but if the ideas advanced by the Bazaar
find Judgment in every household power
full influence will be active during the
campaign. 1t will be silent, but it will be
none the less effective; and it will be d.
rected against the political party under
whose administration the trusts have pros
pered.