Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-16
Mr.. BRYAN At ST. LOUIS.

controls ninety per cent of the output
OF commercial envelopes in the United
States.
The book mentioned also gives statistics
in regard to several trusts organized prior
to 1896 among which are the American
Cotton Oil Co, the American Sugar he
timing COMPANY the American Tobacco
Company, the Diamond Match Company,
the National Lead Company, and the
Standard Oil Company.
During the present administrator no
honest effort has been made
To Protect the People
from these monopolies. The Republican
party controls the executive and the legls-
lative departments of the feoerai govern
ment. 1t can enforce the laws whlch now
exist; 1t can propose and enact new laws,
but it does neither No person can watcn
the conduct Republican party ana read
the speeches of Republican leaders, ana
still believe the Republican party sincere
in its declarations against the trusts.
The Republican platform on TINS Quee-
ton and the Presidents letter OF accept
ance, taken in connection with the party 5
record, prove conclusively that no re-
lief can be hoped for from that party
Instead of pointing out the evils of trusts
the Republican leaders spend their Tune
In exulting over present conditions. ana
Mr.. Flint, from whom l have already
quoted, declared that the formation OF
large corporations was one OF the I'M
portant features of what he described as
the present business activity
Tapcr money
At the opening of the last session of
Congress the Republican leaders pressed
through the House and Senate a Dill
creating a paper money trust and sur
rendered into the hands of the national
banks complete control of the national
currency. Just as Congress was closing
a farcical and hypocrftical attempt was
made TO deceive the public by the intro,
duction of antitrust amendment, ana
an antitrust bill The amendment was
not necessary and intended 10 de-
prive the States of the power which they
now possess, rather than to confer upon
Congress new authority. This vicious
amendment was defeated in the House
by the Democrats. The Republican lead
ers then confessed the amendment I'M
necessary by introducing an antitrust
Gratis, but which died In the Senate, Just
as 1t was expected to die The Republf-
can majority in the Senate referred the
bin to the judiciary committee against
the protests of the Democrats, who urged
its immediate passage.
Let US note briefly the effect Of the
trusts upon various classes. Reference
has already been made to the commercial
traveller, the hotel keeper, the railroad,
the ltVeryman and the newspaper
The Eject of Trusts.
The lawyers are finding that with the
growth of trusts the business is gravitat-
ing toward the offices of the big corpora
ton attorneys, while less fortunate prac-
titioners are becoming law clerks.
The actors suffer from the theatrical
trust.
The small manufacturer is constantly
menaced by the trusts.
He does not know at what moment some
large corporation will attempt to mon
opOlize the business in which he is en-
gagged, and give him his choice between
bankruptcy and participation in an in
duStrlaI conspiracy against the rest or
the country. Many have been driven into
the trust organization by the larger cor
porations engaged in the same business,
or by trusts formed to control iron, steel,
tin plate, or some other product used as
basis for further manufacture. In what
business can your son safely invest
small amount of capital to-day? If he
starts into any independent business he
will find 1t difficult, if not impossible, to
compete with d large organization If 1t
attempts to undersel him in his ter
ritory, because 1t can sustain itself, by
collecting high prices in other parts of
the country. If he suppresses his moral
objections and takes stock in a mon
opoly, he does not know how soon those
in charge may attempt to freeze OUT
the smaller stockholders.
The Merchant is Losing
his independence. The trust fixes the
terms upon which he shall sell, and often
binds HIM by contract not to sell a COM
peting article When the monopoly is
complete credit will 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, so far
as stock on hand is concerned. but when
the trust overstocks the market and then
lets the price fall, the merchant must
bear the loss on accumulated stock.
When, for instance, the American Steel &
Wire Company closed several of its fac
tories few months ago and threw some
six thousand employees out of work, it
dropped the price of nails and barbed wire
in order to work off a surplus stock which
had accumulated hnranSp fba high Oripps
had lessened the demand Every mer-
chant lost money on the nails and wire on
hand.
There is already overproduction in many
lines. The supply of common chairs is
now considerably in excess of the de-
mand. but lest the Republicans may try
to explain this upon the theory that the
people are too busy to sit down, l may
add that there is also dullne5s in the
shoe trade. The Iron Age in a recent
issue pointed out that the production of
iron was falling off, the decrease then
amounting to more than $1,000 tons per
month. Dun's report OF july 21st stated
that the wooden mills were running at
less than half their capacity; and even
recently the cotton manufacturers have
been threatening
To Either Reduce Wages
or shut down temporarily According to
been greater during each month of 1906
than they were during the same months
of last year, and this occurs in the midst
of good crops, and when two wars are
in progress.
The contractor can figure with some ac-
curacy so long as natural laws control,
but he cannot pGoteotl himself against the
arbitrary fluctuations, which are not only
possible but probable when a monopoly
controls the market.
The farmer is one of the most import
ant factors in our national life Some
one has said of him, The hand that
guides the powshare feeds the world b"
He is not a stakeholder in any of the
trusts, but he feels the extortion prac-
ticed by them all.
When the farmer attempts to use his
income in the purchase of the necesSaries
of life he finds that the trusts have raised
prices. He must pay more for lumber.
nails, wire, harness, hardware, stoves and
agricultural implements. More also for
oil, sugar. clothing. furniture, etc. and IN
he must. meet an increase in federal tax
alton.
Let the parent calculate how long it
will take a farmer
To Become Independent
under present conditions; let him con-
trast the lot of the farmer with the lot
Of the man who profits by governmental
favoritism and grows rich by the exploit
alton OF his countrymen through the in
strumentality of monopoly and then
let him answer the question, rs the
young man. Absalom, safe? Has the
farmers SOP, or the farmer himself any
reason for giving support TO the Re
publican party?
Next to the farmer in point of num-
berS and Importance come the wage earn
he trrrz Il Nf 70, f,,T,