The broad ax., 1900-09-08

rroru III, early youth hs had always
syinced an interest In politics. out II
was q quiet interest. He alont g
much on getting into arguments. ne
was always content 10 believe that tne
Renublieans were more rigAt than the
Democrats, 20 Ae voted straight ne
publican ticket every time.
John keeps small store In the SUD
urbs of q large city. He sells grocer
les oil. candies, Stationery Tor tne
school children and deals little IN
meat. especially In the winter ume
when Il IL easier to keep meat than
In the summer.
John has noticed Of late that his
profits amount practically to nothing
stillhe does a fair amount OF business
he is steady and does not spend MS
money extravagantly, tries to ouy
pretty good things for his store. al
though he never buys very much ana
he keeps things neat and clean about
his place.
A few months ago John got hold OF
a newspaper with some interesting
articles regarding the growth and de-
structiveness OF the trusts. His busi-
ness was quiet, he had nothing else 70
read, so he glanced over the article.
Very soon he became interested and
read them very carefully. AS result
he is in a predicament, Is worried con-
siderably. He can no longer accept
the presentment Of the Republican
side OF the case as he used to. The
other day he read in a paper about the
great prosperity throughout the eoun-
try, about the enormous amount OF
goods shipped and bought by Uncle
Sam, of the increased amount OF bust
ness being done and OF the increase in
the amount OF money in circulation.
He does something now that he never
did before. He questions the truth OF
these statements. For instance, he
wants to know where the money goes.
He is not making any; his friends In
business tell him that they are not
they used to make money and they
used to spend 1t literally, too, but now
they are forced to play close to the
cushion.
John Is doing a little figuring now
all by himself and is doing consider
able thinking. He wonders why II is
that he and his old friends. those he
knows In town, are not making any
money. He figures that there are
more people around town than there
were in the days when business was
good. He figures that they should eat
as much as ever, in fact should spend
about as much money as ever. But
do they? He answers himself by say
ing that he does not spend as much
money as he used to spend; he doesn't
get hold OF IL to spend. He figures
that what is true Of him is true OF
other people. The question, who gets
the money? is what he is trying to
1gure out. He looks about the store
at his small supply OF goods ana re-
calls from whom he buys them. Near
y everything he has in stock Is handl-
ed by trusts. There Is no competition.
He must buy from that one party or
not buy at all. They bull the price.
He has to pay a large sum for the
goods, but he cannot always charge q
arge price. because the people won't
pay II. for what is equally as bad, they
ant pay IT, What is the result? The
result is that the trusts make the mon
y. The merchant is forced to buy his
Itock from concerns that tolerate no
He Is forced to sell his
foods in competition with his fellow
owing to the combines that
ire formed. the profits Of the whole
ale houses are never cut. II the
'rices OF the goods are raised to the
mall merchants. 1t simply follows
hat its profits are diminished. Thu
merchants loss Is the combines gain.
Ind 1t is equally true that the COM
ines gain is not only the merchants
oss. but the public's as well. This
> the fact which John Smith has dis
oyered and about which he Il ensr-
etically telling his friends and neigh
OTIS And as q result OF having at
asst seen the light upon the trust Ques-
lon he has decided to vote against
hem by casting a ballot for Bryan. Z
'hus ends the simple story Of John
NTH. II