The St. Louis Republic., 1900-08-22

the Oil, the ownership Of nearly all OF the
large producing wells, and the discriminate
ing favor of railroad rates were the causes
which contributed to the organization Of
this powerful monopoly.
The great Cattle Trust at Chicago, which
plumbers our farmers, Is another form OF
large part of this civilization which calls
for enormous and expensive plants.
In my opinion. however. and in the judg-
nent of the Democratic party. the over
whelming majority OF these industrial vam-
pires in our country are due to the existing
high tariff system. 1t is estimated that
$500. o0oD Of capital have been organized
under trust control during the last few
years, and more than two-thirds of this
mighty capitalization has sought the advan-
tages of trust monopoly, since the Dingley
tariff become a law.
When the Ding!ey tariff law was under
consideration l offered an amendment plac-
ing trust-made products and all articles en-
tertng into the manufacture OF such goods
upon the free list. The amendment was re-
jected in the House OF Representatives by
vote of 1iS to 19i-a strict party vote.
All of the Silver Republicans. Populsts
and Democrats supported the amendment,
and every Republican present voted TO re-
Ject it. That amendment was the out
growth Of the conviction. that under our
industrial civilization high tariff necessar-
ily becomes the mother of trusts. 1t IS
form In It's demands, not only for the en-
fOrcement of existing antitrust laws and
the enactment Of others yet more stringent.
tariff laws should be amended by putting
products Of trusts upon the free list, to
prevent monopoly under the plea of pro-
lection"
Republicans for Free Trade.
Within the last year or more Democrats
nave been very much amused at some OF
the editorials appearing in Republican
newspapers demanding the removal of the
tariff from articles entering into the manu-
facture of paper used by the metropolitan
dailiss and the country press. Unanswsr-
able arguments have thus unwittinSly ap-
peared in the columns of the Republican
press in support of the demand of the Kan
sas City platform TO place trust-made prod
ucts upon the free list. The tariff upon
the materials entering into the manufac-
ture OF paper used by the press OF course
shuts cut competition, and thus enables the
manufacturers of paper to organize a trust.
again vindicating the maxim: Where COM
petition is not monopoly is.'
However, permit me to suggest to the eCi-
ftors and publishers of Republican newspa-
I,erS that II the enhanced price Of paper Is
due to q Paper Trust the trust itself be-
ing the outgrOwth of tariff protection, as
they admit then IL follows that the aboli-
concede the correctness of their logic and
the justness of their demand, but why linn
1t to remedial legislation in one article of
commerce only? If free trade in the article
entering into the composition Of paper will
abolish the Paper Trust and lower prices.
why not apply the same remedy to other
trusts which have raised the prices of their
products? Is 1t not unfair for the RepubIi-
can press to ask relief from the exactions
of a Paper Trust for themselves, while at
ance of the Dingley law, which permits
the organization of nail trusts lumber
trusts, sugar trusts, steel trusts, barbsd-
wire trusts and thousand other trusts