Washington sentinel., 1900-02-17
Small h Bnstness Men and Manurac C.
turers Crash "a by Trusts.

The most rreme ndOus fact revealed
by Mr. BrYan'stour through the Eastern
States, says James CTeelman in the New
York Journal, is that thousands OF small
business men aud manufacturers who
supported Mr.. Mckinley in 1896 have
decided to support the Democratic party
this year. A more significant movement
can hardly be imagined.
THIS means that the crushing power
exerted by the trusts is driving the
victims Of this all absorbing .rapacious
system Of Capitalization out of the party
dominated by Mr. Mckinley and Mr..
Hanna, the open agents Of trusts and
svndlcates.
For the first time the trust issue has
become a factor-probablY controlling
factor-in practical politics. not only in
the West and South, but also in the
East, and particularly in New York.
While Senator Hanna is arranging with
the trusts for a campaign contribution
of S2s, ,ooo, ,ooo--that is said to be the
estimated sum-Mr. Bryan has been
receiving assurances from hundreds and
hundreds of business men who opp )sed
him in 1896 that they Will aid him now
in self defence.
There is little real opposition IN the
country 10 corporate combinations and
trusts formed and operated for the pur-
pose oi reducing necessary expenses
and solving the problem Of cheap and
intelligent distribution. Workmen and
consumers alike recognize that system
and organization are necessary coralla-
ries of cheap production, and that with
reasonable opportunity for competition
the general public will ultimately get
the bere6ts.
But the cry which rings from State to
State and increases IN volume and in
tensitV every week is a cry against
system OF absolute monopoly, backed
by Government favoritism, which is
cushiug out small proprietors, shutting
the gates OF opportunity and converting
large and important body Of hitherto
independent business men into salEri ed
employees. ! he change has been swift
and almost noiseless. In every city and
town are 20 be found scores of hired
men who, only two years ago, were iE
business on their own account. These
men we're helpless to resist the over
powering weight OF the trust system.
Let any man in any part of the country
investigate this statement in his own
community. The great danger which
threatens the country is that no man
will be able to engage in any oi the
businesses controlled by trusts unless he
does so as a hireliDg, and, that with
competition destroyed, the prices OF
necessaries oflife will be fixed arbitrarily
by the trusts, without restraint, Go to
any store in your neighborhoOd and ask
whether the trusts have reduced prices
The rapid rise IN the prices within the
past year is startling, almost incredible.
Senator Hanna says publicly that the
trusts are doing good by lowering the
cost of manufacture aud distribution.
That is true. II is part OF the order
OF progress. Organization and system
attic economy, whether trusts or other
wise, must cheaper manufacture. have
failed to find any man whose opinions
on any subject are worth hearing who is
willing 20 say that il IS not a good thing
to lessen the cost Of producing the neces'
saries Of life.
But Senator Hanna has nothing to say
about the fact that the trusts have
become so powerful, so ruthless, that,
while the cost of manufacture is growing
less, the price TO the consumer Is Increas
ing. The startling rise in the price OF
articles manufactured by trusts com
pletely unmasks the gigantic industrial
and commercial conspiracy which i.
bleeding the whole country. No man i.
safe now, No man dares to interior,
with the plllaRe. Within one year tn,
, trusts i've nearly doubled in power ana
in perfection of organization. Ye
prices in the retail stores evesyWher,
are going up and no and up. II you ar,
not aware Of this, ask your wife, you
hOusekeeper. your butcher, your grocer
This is the most overwhelming thing OF
; the whole social, political or economi
. landscape This il is that is driving ten
, OF thousands, # not hundreds Of thou
. sands, Of new recruits to the Democrat
party. Monopoly stalks grimly on th
ashes OF competition.