The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-06-23
THE GRIP OF TRUSTS.
Democrats Reply To Republicans
Cry OF Prosperity.

WASHINGTON, June 15.-As an offset
to the Republicans cry of prosperity, the
Democratic Congressional Committee is pre-
pairing literature proving that trusts have
raised prices generally for the consumer.
A statement of fluctuations of leading prod
ucts controlled by trusts during 1899 in
cludes the following
The linseed oil trust raised the price
from fl cents on January to so cents on
December 80.
The Standard Oil Company raised the
price of petroleum from 81. so on January
I to SO. 80 on December 30.
The sugar trust raised the price on gran
ulated sugar from l. 81 cents on January
to 81 cents on December 80.
The chemical trust raised the price of
ipecac from 81 so per pound on January
to $500 per pound on December 30.
The same trust raised the price of camphor
from 3S1 cents on January Z to 519 cents
on December 30 The same trust raised
the price of quinine from 81 cents on JAN
uary Z to 30 cents on December 30. The
same trust raised the price Of sal soda from
62J cents on January Z to 20 cents on
December 80.
The leather trust raised the price of
leather from 20 cents on January to 20 J
cents on December 80.
The calico trust raised the price Of cali
co from q cents on January Z to 3f cents
on December 80 for print cloths and from
cents to 4 cents on indigo prints.
The jute trust raised the price on jute
hemp from p cents on January Z to 50
cents on December 80.
The lead trust raised the price of pig
lead from So 50 on January Z to 81. 65 on
December 30
The tinplate trust raised the price on
tinplate from SO box on January Z to
S. 25 on December 30.
The cement trust raised the price of
Rosendale from IS cents on January 6 to
81 cents on December 80 1t raised the
price during the same period on Portland
cement from 81. 95 to 1925.
The nail trust increased the price of nails
from 81 10 on January 4, 1899, to 50. 80
on January 3, 1900. The same trust in
creased the price Of wire nails from S1.35
to SO. 20 during the same period.
The Structural Iron Company increased
the price Of structural angles from 81. Is
on January 4, 1899, to 50. % on January
3, 1900.
The coal trust increased the price of an
thracite coal from 1915 on January 4,
1899, to s4 20 on January 3, 1900.
The glass trust increased the price of
glass from S2.57 on January 4, 1899, to
50. SO on January 3, 1900.
The rubber trust increased the price of
rubber from 81 cents on January 4, 1899,
to 81. 45 on January 3, 1900.
The price of boots and shoes, controlled
by the leather trust, shows an increase
during the year 1899 on men S grain shoes
from 81 cents to S1.12; on Creedmore
splits from IS to ST. 10 and a like increase
on all grades of boots and shoes.
The prices of cotton goods increased so
per cent. White sheeting on January |
sold at SIS 80 and on December 20 at S23.
The only prices to fall were those Of farm
products The Year Book Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture for 1899, which has
recently been issued, shows that the farm
products and farm animals in 1899, al
though vastly increased in quantity since
1890. had fallen off in value to the extent
of S706, $685. 81. This only counts as
farm products corn, wheat, oats, barley,
rye, buckwheat, potatoes, hay and cotton.
II the farm products of 1899 had brought
the same prices as did the same products
in 1890, they would have brought more
than they did by the sum of $4,000,
437, 5Sl.
The farmers raised |, 015, 900, 600 more
bushels of produce in 1899 than they did
in 1890, and yet this produce was worth
S2O5, 900, 900 less than was the smaller
crop of 1890 This Only calculates the
cereals.
The farmers of the United States are
paying 33a per cent. more for all they
consume than they were when the present
Administration went into power on March
4, 1897, and have lost during the present
Administration nearly $4,000, 900, 600 by
the decline in prices of farm products In
this calculation the statistics of 1897, the
first year of the present Administration,
are used