Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-09-17

I
| raise prices: Is ii not human nature
10 make all the profit possible out of a
| monopoly Is II not reasonable TO eX-
| poet that the monopoly, after elimiuat-
! ing the statesmen. and adding their
| salaries, and expenses TO the profit ac-
| count. will seek a further profit by
| raising prices, and lowering wages
| Is ii not reasonable also 10 expect that
| there will be deferiora ton in quality
| 1aen the spur OF competition 10 long
| or cOmpelS the manufacturer 10 furnish
| the best goods for the lowest possible
| price:
| In little book described as an In
| veStmcnt Guide and issued in 1900.
| by Henry Clews * C., bankers, ind
4 n list Of large corporations. together
| with 4 brief description of the bust
| ness done and advantages secured by
| consolidation. In some instances an
| estimate is given of the output of the
| company aS compared with the total
| product of the United States.
| Mr.. Bryan then gave Il list OF Few
| OF the corpora lions organized since the
| last presidential election. and contIn-
ued.
No Hope from Republicans.
During the present administration
no honest effort has been made TO pro
tect the people from these mOnopolies.
Tie Republican party controls the eX-
ecutive and the legislative depart
InentS of the federal government. 1t
can enforce the laws which now exist;
il can propose and enact new laws,
but il does neither. No persons can
watch the conduct of the Republican
party and read the speeches of Re
publican leaders. and still believe the
Republican party sincere in its dec
laration against the trusts.
The Republican platform on this
question and the presidents letter or
acceptance. taken in connection with
the party's record, prove conclusive
ly that no relief can be hoped for from
that party Instead of pointing out
the evils Of trusts the Republican lead
ers spend their time in eXulting over
present conditions. The trust is a part
of present conditions, and Mr.. Flint,
from which have already quoted, de-
clared that the formation of large cor
pOrariOnS was one of the important
features of what he described as the
present business activity. If Repub-
lican leaders really regarded private
monopoly an evil: if they really in
tended To apply an effective remedy,
they would not hesitate TO denounce
trusts and suggest means for their
determination. but they express far
more SOlicitudc for the corporation
than for the people ut large. One is
reminded of the picture which Il moth
or once showed to her boy To impress
uDon his youthful mind the SufTerings
of the Christian Martyrs who were be-
ing thrown into the arena and torn
to pieces hv the lions. The boy looked
at the picture for n moment. and then
his face frightened up as he thought
he caught the idea. Pointing down
into one point of the picture, he said:
Why. mamma, there is one poor lit
tie lion that isn't getting Il bit" 1t
is even 50 with the Republican lead
CrS. Their sympathy goes out freely
to any corporation. which in their
opinion Is not getting its share
they are not moved by the hardships
imposed by monOpolieS upon all who
are outside of the charmed circle.
Three sessions of congress have con-
vcncd and adjourned since the preSi-
dents Inauguration. and yet he has
never recommended Il specific measure
looking toward the overthrow of mo-
nopOlieS.
The Effect of Trusts.
Let us note briefly the effect of the
trusts upon various classes. The
lawyers are finding that with the
growth of trusts the business is
gravitating toward the offices OF the
big corporation attorneys, while less
fortunate practitioners are becoming
law clerks.
The actors suffer from the theatrical
trust
The small manufacturer is constant |
" meraced by the trusts.
He does not know at what moment |
some large corporation will attempt to |
monopoliZe the business in which he |
is engaged, and give him his choice |
between bankruptcy and participation |
i'm IN industrial conspiracy against the |
rest of the country. Many have been
driven into the trust organization by |
the larger corporations engaged in the |
same business, or by trusts formed to |
control iron, steel. tin plate, or some |
other product used as basis for fur |
Their manufacture. In what business |
can your son safely invest a small |
amount of capital today? If he starts |
into any independent business he will /
find il difficult. if not impossible. to
compete with a large organization If /
it attempts To underSelI him in his ter
ritOry. because il can sustain itself, by
collecting high prices in other parts |
OF the country. If he SuppreSSeS his |
moral objections and takes stock in
he does not know how soon
those in charge may attempt to
freeze out" the smaller stockholders.
The merchant is losing his independ-
ence. The trust fixes the terms upon
which he shall sell, and often binds
him by contract not to sell u compel
ing article. When the monopoly is
complete credit viii be shortened. and |
the merchant will be compelled TO
bear all the risks OF trade When |
the trust raises prices. the merchant |
usually has To divide the advance with
his customers. 50 far as stock on hand
is concerned, but when the trust over
stocks the market and then lets the
price fall, the merchant must bear the
loss on accumulated stock. When,
for instance. the American Steel and
Wire company closed several of its
factories few months 20 and threw
some COCO employees out of work il
dropped the price of nails and barbed
wire in order to work off 4 surplus