The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-16
BR BIT Teri Y
.RIRIlAlGNS TRUSTS.
CONTINUED from First Page.1

Continued from First PaEe.)
ty-three trusts had been INCORPORATED and
sc ans capitalized at from 5000, 900 to
'. tine Federal Steel Company, the
& 1otal EQUALIZATION eof the twenty-three
amounting to s1061, 10000 These cornbi-
&nauons practically control the markets.
81 also gave statistics in regard to seye-
raj trusts organized prior to 1896, among
+ which are the American Cotton Oil Co.,
the|American Sugar Refining Company.
the Diamond Match Company, the National
Lead Company, and the Standard Oil
Company. Continuing, he said:
During the present administration no
honest effort has been made to protect the
people from these monopolies. The Repub-
slican party controls the executive and the
legislative departments of the Federal
Government. It can enforce the laws
which now exist: 1t can propose and enact
new laws. but it does neither. No person
can watch the. conduct of the Republican
party, and read the speeches of Republi-
can leaders, and still believe the Republi-
can party sincere in its declarations against
the trusts.
The Republican platform on this ques-
ton and the Presidents letter of accept
ance, taken in connection with the party
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 time
In exulting over present conditions. The
trust is part of present conditions, and
Mr.. Flint. from which I 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. If Re-
publican leaders really regarded private
monopoly as an evil; If they really in
-fHY, cd To ay,yNvry
would not hesitate to denounce trusts and
suggest means for their determination,
but they express far more solicitude for
the corporation than for the people at
large.
Three sessions of Congress have con-
vened and adjourned since the Presidents
Inauguration, and yet he has never recon-
mended specific measure looking toward
the overthrow of monopolies.
PAPER MONEY TRUST.
At the opening Of the last session of
Congress the Republican leaders pressed
through the House and Senate bill Great
ing a paper money trust. and surrendered
into the hands of the national banks COM
plete control of the national currency Just
as Congress was closing a farcial and by
pocriticai attempt was made to deceive
the public by the introduction of an anti
trust amendment and an anti-trust bill.
The amendment was not necessary, and
was intended to deprive the States of the
power which they now possess. rather
than to confer upon Congress new author
ity. This vicious amendment was defeated
In the House by the Democrats. The Re
publican leaders then confessed the amend
ment unnecessary by introducing an anti
trust bill, which was supported by the
Democrats. but which died in the Senate,
just as it was expected to die The Repub-
lican majority in the Senate referred the
bill to the judiciary committee against the
protests OF the Democrats, vino urged its
immediate passage. The Republican party
draws its contributions from the trusts
during the campaign, and pays back its OBJ
legations by leaving the people at the
mercy of the trusts between campaigns.
The small manufactures in constantly
menaced by the trusts. The merchant is
losing his independence. There is already
overproduction in many lines. According
to Dun's report. the business failures have
been greater during each month of lsVJ
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 accuracy SO long, as natural laws
control, but he cannot protect 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 important factors
in our national life. He Is not a stock
holder in any of the trusts, but he feels
the extortions practced by them all
Taking the four staples of agricul-
trre it will be seen that three out OF four
have not on the average brought as much
return to the farmer, under the present
administration, as under the previous ad-
nl,nistration, and the fourth product,
wheat, IS more Influenced than any other
farm product by foreign conditions. When,
however, the farmer attempts to use his
income in the purchase. of the neces-
saries 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 addition to these drains upon
his Income ne must meet an Increase in
federal taxation.
Let the parent calculate how long 1t
viii take q 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
favortism and grows rich by the exploit
alton of his countrymen through the IN
strumentality of monopoly. and tiien
let him answer the question, rs the
Young man, Absalom, safe? Has the
farmers son. or the farmer himself, any
reason for giving support 10 ule NC
publican party?
Next to the farmer in point of num-
bers and Importance come the wage-earn-
ers. What is the trust doing to increase
the wages, shorten the hours, improve
the condition, or protect the rights OF
The la.boring man? Is his present prospect
an inviting one? Is he receiving a tar
share of the proceeds Of his toll? And II
rot. why not? Republicans assert that
thu working man has a full dinner
pail, ask. In the first place, whether
a, full dinner pail is all that laborins
man needs?
The question is not whether the labor
ing man is able to exist under present
conditions, but whether he is enjoying
his share of the blessings of the country
and of tue protection Of the government
Compare the laboring man with the trust
magnate, and see which fares the best
at the hands of the Republican party
Enquire also whether the laboring man S
income has Increased as rapidly as his
living expenses.
But even if every laboring man was
prosperous. and even if that prosperity
could be traced to Republican legislation,
still the laboring man is q citizen, and
nI,Sf look at political Questions from the