Hutchinson gazette., 1900-09-06
"PRIvATE MONoPoLIEs."


Iron KIino' Clearly "Indnfenslb,s
and IntOerRbls2"
Some weeks ago we referred to the
fact that the wall paper trust had
decided TO dissolve. Within the past
few days large number Of indus
trial companies have presented annual
reports 10 their stockholders, and the
degree of disappointment these have
occasloned indicates that the indus
trial trust, minus special privilege
OF some sort is destined TO be Of
brief existence. That the confidence
of investors has been lost Is indi-
Gated in the values placed upon indus
trial stocks, Out OF 81 which have re-.
ported during the last two weeks not
one but shows q serious falling or;
some Of them have almost disappear
ing value, Others have fallen OF as
much as rs per cent? while only q
few comparing present values with
those reached some time during their
existence, have escaped with loss
of less thin 80 per cent, The indus
trial managers nre learning that COM
petition In the great leyeler, and that
the law Of supply and demand, II left
unobstructed, will equallze trade and
regulate prices. Therefore, they are
beginning TO understand Tint without
u monopoly OF some sort they need
expect no advantage TO result from
classification. The internal machn-
cry of the lnduotrlul trust does not
work without friction, either, "lt's
much ensier to get ten men with the
training and executive ability to run
one factory than II Is TO get one man
who can run ten factories combined" I"
is the way one OF the trust managers
puts II. Although the tendency to
classification seems to have had It's
day. But this does not apply to trusts
with control OF special privilege;
they can thrive when the rest Of the
world goes hungry.
That the administration will be
compelled TO fight one Of the gigantic
speclal-priyllege trusts Is indicated In
the rejection by Secretary Long Of
bids for the manufacture Of armor
plate for the ships of the navy, The
only two establishments in the coun.
try capable Of supplying the ormor
plate In quantity, quality and within
the time desired have sent in their
uniform bids, each Offering to take
exactly one-half the amount asked
for, thereby showing that they had
entered into collusion with one moth-
er, These are the Carnegie and Beth
lehcm companies, One competitive
bid was offered, but the bidder could
deliver no armor plate within 2G
months. Secretary Long has asked
for new bids, but it is believed moth
ing will come from it, and there Is
thought to be fair prospect that the
$4,OOOOO0 appropriated by congress
for the purpose Of erecting an armor
plate plant for the government may
be employed for that purpose, What
a lesson in special privilege we should
have II, after such an institution was
built and ready for business, the men
who own the great iron mines should
find way to evade supplying ore TO
the government for the making Of
nrmor plate! Private concerns have
been ruined in this country by that
process, and it is within the range
of the possible that government may
suffer in the same way. 1t might not
serve the purpose of the monopolists
thus to advertise their power; that
they have the power is not to be ques-
toned, howeyer.-Earmers Voice.