Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-12
By Byron w. Holt.

supply our own market with hundreds
of articles which formerly were i'm
ported and although we obtain no rev.
enue from the duties on these articles
vet it is a mistake to conclude, as
many have done, that duties on such
articles are dead letters and are not
effective. 1t is these non-revenue pro-
ducing duties that are most effective
in protecting trusts.
Thus the duties on drugs and chem
icIes, with few exceptions, produce lit
tie or no revenue, yet protect hun
dreds of trusts. Chemical manufact-
urers and chemical dealers take to
trusts as ducks take to water. Combi-
nations, associations, agreements and
understandings are common through
out the entire trade. Manufacturers
in similar lines sell by the same
schedule of prices; jobbers practically
do the same; retail dealers have uni
form prices. Druggists in most cities,
villages or counties have their asso-
Citations which fix prices on most Of
the important articles dealt in. Free
and open competition, If it ever exist
ed, is a thing of the past in almost
every branch of the chemical trade.
Chemicals being mainly raw materials
or medicine, protective duties upon
them are almost certain to become
instruments of extortion."
Some of the heavy" chemicals
which are controlled by substantial
trusts are borax, linseed oil and white
lead. Some others controlled by
agreements, selling agencies, etc., are
paris green, ultramarine blue, bro
mine, etc. Nearly everything in the
acid line is under control. Thus ace
tic acid (wood alcohol is controlled
by a moiopoly, Manhattan Spirits Co.,
which sells in this country at nearly
double cost prices-present price is
80 cents per gallon for what Is esti-
mated. to cost less than 80 cents-and
exports its surplus sometimes at prices
but little above cost.
In "fne" chemicals there are num-
erous trusts composed of cliques Of
manufacturers. which, by means of
some form of agreement or under
standing, control production and
prices of scores of articles. Thus,
four of our largest manufacturers of
chemicals, two in Philadelphia, one in
st. Louis, and one in New York, each
manufactures about $50 articles.
Each firm has it's own catalogue, but
they might as we'll sell from one cat
alogue for their prices are uniform.
Some of the articles manufactured
BY these firms are iodoform, citric
acid, bismuth salts, mercurials-such
as calomel, corrosive sublimate, etc.,
--chlorofrm, resublimated iodine,
and iodide Of potassium, bichloride of
mercury, bichromate Of potash, santo-
nine, strychnine, rochelle salts, etc.
AC QuIiOO On oil VI LuO dUONC duu
on hundreds of 7imilar articles are
prohibitive and serve no purpose ex-
cept to protect the trusts formed to
take advantage of these duties. AS
usual the members of these protected
trusts are very wealthy and much of
their great wealth has been flched
out of the pockets of the people by
means of these worse than useless tar
if duties. According to the New York
Tribune Almanac (See American Mil
lionaires), William Weightman, of
Powers C Weightman, one of the four
firms mentioned above, is considered
by many the richest man in Philadel-
phia''
Many chemicals are exported and
often at prices considerably below our
home prices. But for our inordinate
duty and internal revenue tax of 700
or 800 per cent. on alcohol-the most
necessary and costly supply in chemi-
cals-our chemical industry would
probably lead the world.
Paris Green Trust.
The Paris Green Combine will serve
to Illustrate many of the chemical
trusts and will be of especial interest
to farmers at this season of the year.
1t is peculiar trust. 1t is intermitt-
ent, and comes and goes so Irregular
" that it could never be caught by the
worst frustrating Attorney General
armed with the most severe antitrust
law. 1t is as delusive as a will-o' the
wisp.
While paris green is classified as a
paint its principal use is as an insec-
tiede for killing potato bugs, cotton
worms and various other insects and
worms. which prey upon vines and
trees. The greatest demand for it oc-
ours during the potato bug season in
April, May and June. This fact is
very significant and important to
those who manipulate the prices-al-
so to the farmers who pay the mani
pulated prices.
About January l, 1894, the eight or
nine manufacturers, (all of New York;
signed and sent out a circular saying