The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-11-06

Trey and previous bills. varies from
about Is to 8 cents per pound. and av-
Ierages about 2 cents. This is generally
equivalent to betweeen SO and 100 per
Icent. and often exceeds 100 per cent.
From 1860 to 1890 prices in this country
declined an average of s per cent, al
Though foreign prices declined 81 per
cent from 1867 to 1890. Our prices are
now higher han in 1890 or in 1860 for
Iordinary Sizes"
The tariff trust, for such it is, differs
from other trusts. according to Mr..
Holt. in this-"that the workers get a
small share of the trust spoils." We
have already twice shown you in the
lcampaign as to the giant tin trust. At
Wilmington, Delaware. as we learn
Through one of its papers. Every Even
ing. three pound cans advanced from
$1.45 to $3.50 per 100. The high prices
of tin interferes seriously with 'the
profitable disposal of crops and Injuries
the farmers instead of comforting bene-
fits Upon them"
What is the remedy think you for h
relief Of the farmers, work
ing classes? Is it in continuing indef-
nitely the abominable. d~evouring trusts
for the benefit of a few greedy. rich
men? 1t lies simply in the WORK of the
federal congress-to reduce the. high
tariff tax or in some instances to abol-
ish the tax altogether. making a clean
sweep of the oppression. and the peo-
pie will get rid at one of the accused,
ubiquitous, robber trusts. A robber
tariff begets robber trusts.
One of the patent lodges of trusts is
to deny that many of them are helped
tby the high tariff. But all this is like
Hanna's lie that there are no trusts
Without the tariff tax to protect he
robbers there would be no trusts to rob,
but free competition as all along before
the coming of the detestable, wicked
trusts. National monopolies are said
not to be trusts, but nearly all the
trusts-perhaps every one-owes it's
life to the high robber tariff tax. No
nopolies that are really trusts are the
enemies Of the people of the country.
Mr.. Lawson Purdy. of the New York
lReform Club, writes i~ntelligently an6
wisely of m%onopolies. He says:
"It would be interesting and surpris-
ing if trust defenders can name a sin
gle monopoly consolidation, or a single
trust, that does not owe its birth and
existence to natural monopoly in pri-
waite hands, to patents or to tariffs.
Now the tariff is most easily reach
ed; and, when the tariff trusts are
gone, it will be comparatively easy to
deal with the rest. Those that remain
will be weakened. and the cause of
}their monopoly will be more plainly
seen THERE'S no need to fear any
mere aggregation of capital which has
no privilege. 1t will only exist if it
can effect economies and perform good
service"
1t is gratifying to see that ex-Gov-
ernor Fostero. Of Ohio. ex-senator
Washburn. of Massachusetts,, and other
faithful republicans are favoring cut
ting down the t~rust-fostering republic
can tariff. The st. Paul Pioneer
Press and the Chicago Times-Herald,
republicans. take the same position.
Here are some opinions from other re-
publican organs. The Philadelphia
Ledger, about the most honest paper
of its class, says:
But, as a matter of fact, congress
has a weapon which readily can be
used to checkmate most OF the OppreS-
Isive combinations against whose eXac-
lions protests go up from the people,
The majority of the trusts deal in
products protected by the tariff, in
whole or in part, from foreign compe-
tition."
And the good republican CONNER
cial Advertiser. of New York says
1.-The time will soon come when pub
lie opinion will 10 more tolerate pro-
Elective duties on trust products; for
protection. should logically promote
home competition. while trust organi-
cation destroys it,"
The Blairsville (Ohio) Courier says
squarely:
I'VE are firmly of the opinion that it
is a high tariff, and only a high tariff,
that is responsible for the multiplica-
ton of trusts; and it is our decided
%lopinion that the only manner in which
these combinations can be wounded in
a vital spot is by modification of the
tariff laws which has made them pos
sible and to which has mad them pos
l%iStence."