The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-08-03
PRIVATE MONOp0LIEs.
What Il tho Breadth and Scope of This
Expression Used In tho Kansas
City Platform?
The Kansas City platform declares

City Platform?
The Kansas City platform declares
as follows:
Private monopolies are indefensible and
intolerable. They destroy competition.
control the price of all material, and of
the finished product, thus robbing both
producer and consumer. They lessen the
employment of labor, and arbitrarily fix
the terms and conditions thereof, and de-
prive individual energy and small CAPT.
tai of their opportunity for betterment.
They are the most efficient means yet
devised for appropriating the fruits of
industry to the benefit of the few at the
expense of the many, and unless their
insatiate greed is checked, all wealth will
be aggregated I'm few hands and the
republic destroyed.
The foregoing declarations would
be UNNECESSARILY more satisfactory
and less ambiguous, if something APP
preaching to definition of the term
private monopolies" had been for
mulated. As, for instanse, are rail-
roads private monopolies; or pack
houses and stock yards; or the
ownership of coal and iron mines, or
Oil fields? Many true reformers,
staunch supporters of Bryan, GER
tainly consider all the foregoing as
included in the list of private mo-
nopolies.''
Thus we find Louis F. Post, in his
paper, The Public, writing as follows:
A majority of the stockholders of the
National Wall Paper company. known as
the wall paper trust, have decided to dis
solve. This decision was made on the
18th at stockholders meeting in New
York. The reason for it is that the trust
was unable to stand up against outside
competition. No better example could be
desired of the truth that trusts not but
tressed by legalized monopolies are of
few days and full of trouble. No trust
can long resist outside competition with
no better weapon than organization. To
succeed, it must have either directly from
the government or Indirectly as the lessee
of some government beneficiary, a mo-
nopoly of trade, transportation or land.
Monopolies of trade are made by pro-
tective tariffs. Monopolies of transpor-
tatiOn are made by railroad franchises.
Monopolies of land are given by title
deeds. These are the things that make
trusts possible. Mere organization in re-
straint of competition cannot long sur
vive. OF that fact the dissolution of
the wall paper trust is more illus
trious example.
While the Farmers Voice, treating
more at length the same subject, says:
1.-The power of the combines to force
up prices when there is no justifica-
ton in market conditions for so do
ing, is illustrated in the action of the
big Chicago packers recently when
they raised the prices of beef to the
retailers to nine cents pound by the
carcass, and compelled the retailers in
turn to advance the price of steaks
to the consumer from two to four
cents a pound. Cuts which formerly
commanded II and 16 cents a pound
now command from 10 to 20 cents,
and the people have NO assurance that
the prices may not still further adj
vance. This rise reflects no better pri-
ces to the farmer who raises the beef.
On the same day the receipts of cattle
at the Union stock yards were $4,000
head, the best grades bringing only
$5.70, and lower grades, which usually
are made to do service in Chicago,
only $3.50 to S4.75 per hundred pounds
Butchers declare it costs only 60 cents
to prepare the carcass for market
Thus it will be seen that the packers
had no legitimate basis for their ac-
ton, but did it simply to make big
ger dividends. We hear much of the
greater economy of production by the
operation of the trust, and we have
many reasons to believe that ultimate
ly in all competitive lines this econ
omy will be made to show in lower
prices as well as in larger dividends,
but up to date the men who get the
dividends are at advantage, while those
who look for and most need lower
prices are being left completely out of
account. We repeat that competitive
lines of commodities ultimately must
come down to fair prices because COM
petition will compel them SO to do;
but the trusts which have their foun-
dations in the control of great natural
monopolies like the oil wells, coal
mines. copper mines, etc, or in fran
chise grants. will pursue the even
tenor of their way, let the public
think or say what it may
just here. it may be remarked
Internationally, that the packing
house combine is not based upon
either tariff. or land monopoly, while
it is probable that the rates of trans
portation have but little bearing or
influence upon it. Continuing. the
Voice says:
striking example of the essential