The Winslow mail., 1900-03-29
THIS FROM ONLY ONE.
A Sample OF the Outrageous Treat
ment of Americans by
MonopOIfsts.

There is a constant demand for in
formation as to the operations of trusts,
and publicity is demanded on all sides.
Here is a sample of one of the out
rageous kind, which eX-Congressman
John Dewitt Warner drags out into the
light. It is the American Steel and
Wire company, and Mr.. Warner gives it
as a fair sample of other combina-
tions:
"This trust succeeded to previous un-
successful or short-lived efforts to monopo-
lize the American market at the beginning
of last year. 1t has capitalization of $780,
600 600, and embraces rs mills and other
property having an actual value 1t is esti-
mated, of only about S20,OCO000. Thus for
every bucket of real value in the capital
there are from three to four buckets of wa
ter. The president of the company is re-
sponsible for the statement that 1t pos
sesses practical monopoly Of the wire,
wire rod and wire nail production OF the
country.
prior to the organization of this COM
pany wire nails were selling at New York
in carload lots at about $1.50 keg. They
had been quoted at below one dollar before
the combination movement began. They
are now quoted at above $3.50 a keg, repre-
senting an advance within single year
by the trust of over 130 per cent. AS the
trust owns it's own iron ore supply and
pig iron furnaces and rolling mills, it can
not say this advance was forced by the
demands or eXactions Of others in control
of it's raw material supply.
These are the prices charged to home
consumers in wholesale lots, and the retail
prices are much higher and increase ac-
cording to distance from the centers of dis
tribution. Meantime the trust is doing a
prices" Says Mr.. Warner: 1T will make
farmers feel happy to know that this same
trust which charges them at a basis of
1888 per keg for nails (about $3.50 at re-
taiD, exports these nails and sells them to
Europeans at a $214 basis per keg and
that it exported about 100000 pounds
in 1899 to all parts of the earth. Thus
an American concern favors foreigners
with reduction of nearly 40 per cent
from the prices charged to home consum-
ers, and the trust is quite likely making
profit on the export trade 1t is either
doing that or compelling American con-
sumers to contribute in order to furnish
nails to foreigners at less than cost Which
shall it beg?
To this, the Springfield Republican
| adds:
Meantime, the American farmer, who is
paying over 60 per cent. more for his nails
than the European farmer is paying for
nails of the same manufacture, is being
treated to recommendations from the gov
ernment at Washington in favor of the
abolition of all tariff on competing agricul-
tural products from our tropical islands
Does he hear Of any recommendations from
the same source in favor of the abolition
of tariff where it protects the nail and other
trusts in their gross eXtortions? If SO, he
has sharper ears than have been given
to US"
The Hanna subsidy bill on the
business of last year would have paid
to American steamers nearly $5,000,-
300, and the bulk of this would have
gone to one steamship company, which
now gets $1,OOO,OO0 year mail con-
tracts. The purpose of the subsidy
grab is hardly denied 1t is to create
a steamship trust controlling the car
riage abroad of American products as