The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-10-11
THE WHOLE STORY.
How the People Are PlundeTel
by Trusts.
The Hardware Trust One of
Many That Bleed Us.


snan explaining why he became a
democrat,
Mr. Roberts, | asked, why did
you become a demOcrat?'
For several reasons" he replied.
First, because love my country,
ats people and its institutions | be-
{ieve in the Declaration Of Independ-
essce and the constitution. Because
revere the transcendent wisdom and
PATRIOTISM of the men who gave Us
liberty and those who preserved 1t
Until this critical hour Because |
Eseleve in republic before any other
EJrm Of government Vet conceived or
designed by man.
Second because | am a business
'snan. Under system Of fair compe-
aE6On | prospered moderately. but
steadily. Under the trust regime.
Gos tered by republican legislation
-=tnd encouraged by republican policy
and friendship. not a business man
al independence and know them ali
has made any money since the in
a Iguration OF Vim. Mckinley and
the ascendencv of men of the type OF
Marcus A. Hs ma in the affairs OF
SIX government. We deceive our |
selves because We are selling goods |
nut every man who stops to think
and figure knows that what we sell is |
'Nithout profit, business expenses
= ana they have increased-co
: II the f8sth man increased his prices
Il proportion TO the prices demand l.
~ OF him by the trusts-and they
control everything in our line-we
would be regarded as robbers. and ;
consumers would rise up against US.
re are the men who suffer most. ;
We are simply agents for the trusts !
sand are working for them for moth ,
hng. Under the present system the
7flsfs have everybody, the laborino z
gnan, the retailer and the consumer. =
f1y the throat, with the most unre- {
Eenting grip or the retailer.
tAon>ean take as an example any h
thing in this store" continued Mr. -
II berts, land you'll find it advanced
En price by the trusts without cause -
1ke raw material, the metal in the
earth, has practically the same value +.
that it has had for thousands of =
pears. The laboring man who digs II
e ont is working for the same old =,
wages. The molder does not get any g
more pay, or if he does it is practi i
1aly nothing compared with the r,
advance. The retailer and the con- :,
Sdmer have to pay twice more for the g.
I n5sned article The man who gets y,
'Jbe big rake off is the man who has
The beast to do with 1.-THE man who ;:
IS ct Newport in the summer and the
sunny southland in the winter-while =,
the man who digs, the man who
1lolds, the man who sells and the
man who buys are compelled. under
1ae vicious system which Mr.. Hanna ~
.ustifes, TO pay his princely expenses 80
and pile up his wealth. ~
What was that rope worth in ~
S9S. and what is it worth now?" I ~
asked. Ii'
Mr.. Roberts called his stock man q"
TO answer the question according to II
lhe bills on file. lie
tie opened the file book. and it u'i
happened that the house had receiv- "
ID consignment of rope the first u"
week in May. 1898.
1t was worth then $3.50; last Nav :
t was worth SO, he said.
In May, 1898. barb wire was worth -,
= -; last May it was worth s.. 40 "
In May, IS wire nails were worth
'l.25; last May they We're worth 81
Wire cloth in % was worth 90 49,
an0s: this year it was worth s1.90. '''
We bought poultry netting for 36 So
ey11s in '9S; this year they hold Us rP'
p for 80 cents"
You have paints here" | said. e.
ave they also advanced?" INV
white lead cost Us $3.50 in 1898.
costs us 500 this year. ''''
Linseed oil cost Us 30 cents in 'o~, Cha
ai~ year It cost us 10 cents. T
tarriage bolts have advanced IA Ne,
pr cent. inv.
Studebakerwagons have advanced the
ON So to 500. anr
implements have advanced - per OF 7