The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-07
Continued From First page.

monopoly of patents and the control OF
transportation facilities, and with a tariff
ends, 1t is not surprising that they con-
troll the industry of the nation.
PARTIES ATTITUDE TOWARDS
TRUSTS.
What is the attitude of the parties on
this question:
pays tribute to the virtues of the trusts
and eXtolS their value in extending our
foreign trade. 1t admonishes them to
better behavior at home, it is true but
the real position of the party on this, as
on other questions, is best defined by its
chairman and acknowledged leader. Mr.
Hanna. He defined the partys position
on this subject, as Tread from dispatch
to the Pioneer Press, under date of Oct
49, 1899: The Democrats say l am a
fraud to talk about trusts. l am not go
ing to talk about them. This combina-
ton of capital for one purpose and an
other is not political question at ALL
1t is business proposition and ought not
to have been brought into politics" And
then he continues: THE so-called trusts
are not new; they have been found in
England and Germany as far back as 200
years and are increasing. Therefore,
from a business standpoint of view, the
foundation of these combinations, in one
sense, is a step forward. The Democrats
would have US believe that they are terri
BILE anacondas that would swallow us up.
However. If the trusts are a menace to
the country what party better than the
Republican party will give US relief?'
= Yes my friends, we do believe that the
trusts are anacondaS, and we believe they
will consume the substance of our peo-
pie; that they will undermine the indie
ipendence of our citizenship, and that they
to exist for the individual in a free coun-
try. On this point ex-senator Wash
tburn used the following language in an
interview IN the Chicago Times-Herald
Sept. IL, 1899:
when was a young mani am now
.sixty-eight-I had the world before me,
and there was absolutely a fair field for
sIne. Take all of our most successful
business men of today and their expert
sences were like mine. They entered the
race without a handicap, and their grit
sand capacity won. Now this building up
of trusts puts a stop to fair and equal
opportunities for the young men of today
The young man just out of college has
no opening, as a rule. He cannot begin
business on his own account against or
gained capital. He must join the pro-
cessiOn; he must content himself with
beng a mere clerk, and the chances are
that he will never get any further because
there are SO many in his class. This
makes the situation q serious one and 1
am sorry for the young man of today
l have studied the situation, and I am
sure OF what 1 am saying"
HANNA'S DEFENSE OF TRUSTS.
| ask you, young men in this audience,
whether this statement is true or not.
But, says Mr.. Hanna, from a bust
ness standpoint of view the formation
OF these combinations is in one sense
step forward This may be true from
Mr. Hanna S standpoint Ii may be true
from the business standpoint of Mr..
Rockefeller; but is 1t true from the busi-
ness standpoint of the farmer, of the
IN any occupation who lives by the la Dor
of his hands or of his brain?
Let us see what this "organized indus
try has accomplished, for instance, for
the farmer, who is a great producer and
the foundation of the wealth and pros
perity of this state. He produces for
the competitive market at home and
abroad. There is no trust to govern the
prices of what he sells, aud in the ma
ture of things, there cannot be: but every
article that he buys, from the matches
on the shelf to the coal in his stove and
the lumber In his barn; from the salt
on the table to the fencing for his stock
is controlled by the trusts. and the prices
OF these commodities, and hundreds of
others, are arbitrarily fixed, without ref
erence to market value or cost of pro-
duction.
=. Taking the farm value of a bushal of
wheat as worth at an average through
out Minnesota 10 cents less than the Min
neapolis cash price, ten bushels would
buy, at the wholesale prices quoted by
the, Commercial Bulletin, the official
trade journal of Minneapolis jobbers, the
following goods on on the dates named:
Jan. /, 1893, 101 gallons; Jan. l, 1899. 70 gal,
Ions Jan. ], 1900, Sc gallons.
Granu lat sugar, Jan. l, 1898, 157 lbs. /;
Jan. l, 1899, 118 lbs; Jan. l. 1900, 104 lbs.
Jan l, 1899, 615 bbls. Jan i, 1900 bbis.
IL Lumbe Eco Sl6 IT. 2x4)'TJan. l. 1898 723 feet;
&, Wire nails, Jan. 1, 1898, 4 1-3 kegs; Jan.
i. 1899, Is kegs; Jan. 1. 1900, ~ kegs. -
Barbed wire Common painted, Jan, 1
!, 1900, 1873 lbs
The above figures are based on the
wholesale prices of oil, salt, sugar, lum-
apolis Freight, handling, and retailers
profits would probably make these ar
1cles cost at the farm about 20 per cent
on the average more, and the amount of
each of these articles which ten bushels
Of wheat would buy would be cor
TIteHspondlngly less Ten bushels of wheat,
they will buy. The prosperity of the farm
is not measured by the volume of it's
product, nor even by the market value
power or the commodities produced
WILL BRING sERFDOM.
1t needs no argument to convince Won
tnat the continuation of this condition OF
affairs will rapidly reduce the mass Of
Ine america people to a condition of ab-
Solute serfdom VIII you have that
conGluon or will you not? 1t is for the
people people to answer at the polls. Hanna
However, If the trusts are monaco
70 me country, what party better than
the republican party will give you re-
n HeT I ms Is a great comfort and might
SdIIy some weight We're it not for the
TACT that the Republican party has been
IN absolute control Of every power of the
government during the last four years
stroying the trusts and protecting fhe
people, why mas 1t not done so? To this
the republicans answer: 1--WE proposed
constitutional amendment and +he
democrats ps would not help to pass it. We
% was h tbp SIS, we can do nothing" What
fSdnehdlnent and what was its pl1rpose >
me ann and effect of that proposed con-
ssuluuonaI amendment would have bean
10 deprive the states of every vestiee Of
power that they now possess to nrotec+
the people against the oppression of
'Ihese combinations. It's purpose was 70
de1er action upon the question upon a
plausible preteXt until Hanna had had an
opportunity to again call upon the truss
Tor '-ie eXigencies of this camnaion
hVery cltlzen knows that it takes wears
ana years TO bring about an amendment
oL me constitution. Is our constitution
WIN no power to protect its own neonIe
AGAINST oppression? To admit that is n
a9Int that it is a lamentabIe deiusion
= ne very men who argue to this effect
$751; iaise tI h me congress of the United
otaIes mas the power to govern other
peoples ana countries against the convic
IONS or plain duty Is our cons+itI
non such perversity that under it cor
sfess can legtslate for the oppression of
foreign peoples. but is powerless To Iep
1slate for the protection of orr own .
Sach logic will not appeal to the Ameri-
CONGRESS CAN THROTTLE TRUSTS
with absolute control over interstate
S9-nInercs. with absolute control of the
EHorsfoFd's Acid Phosphate !