The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-06
rcE rRUsr GR1p LoosENs.

ICE TRUST GRIP LoosENs.
Topeka is having a practical nlusra-
ton of the operations of trusts This is
not the first illustration but it adds to
the sum of useful knowledge which the
people are acquiring-and paying for
Trusts have one distinguishing sim
ilarity no matter where they are found
or what is their specialty-they viii
squeeze all the money out Of the people
that they think the people will stand
and often they are not at all particular
whether the people meelzly submit or
not.
When the Topeka ice plants entered
into an agreement to pool their issues
they promised ITO be good and for a
few months there was little change and
accordingly little protest. But before
the first season was over the small deal
er began to feel the effect of the mailed
fist of the new concern. He was told
that he would have to pay more for his
ice He was hedged around with con-
ditions which made it extremely I'M
pleasant to do business. But he was met
with the alternative-the Peoples Ice
company would buy him out. The re-
suit was that before the close of last
year all but two of these independent
dealers had succumbed. From that time
the way was easy to control the situa-
ton. These dealers had been making
their own prices to consumers and if
there is anything that is particularly
calling to a trust it is to see some poor
weak individual underselling it.
When this season opened the Peo-
pies Ice company had removed every
obstacle-it was in complete control of
the situation. 1t could put up prices
or not, just as it pleased. People
could buy ice Of the Peoples Ice COM
pany or they could do without. and
that is exactly what one of the promi-
nent lawyers Of Topeka who objected
to the methods of the trust was told.
Others found out by experience that
this was a fact
The people were told that they must
pay in advance for their ice. They
must buy coupon books and pay for
them, and they could use them at their
leisure. They must use a certain
amount of ice per day to get the BEN
eft of the regular rate. The price of
ice in ten pound lots was increased
to 60 cents per hundred pounds if paid
for in advance or 81 per hundred if
not paid for in advance. The five cent
piece of ice was abandoned. The price
and drug stores was raised
All these things the ice trust did,
and the protest was mild and mean
ingless. The people gave evidence of
submission. and the officers of the trust
chuckled. Besides they had a club with
which the people could be pounded into
submission, and they knew how TO
use it.
ne Ar ,,ao-,1a fs,a1Ix- ero+ triad The
wholesale rate had been advanced,
and there was an indication of a gen
eral advance in prices. The State
Journal called the attention Of the citi-
zens to the condition of affairs, and
they arose in their wrath.
Then the trust became good. It got
the impression that the people might
start a new enterprise which would de-
stroy their business in Topeka and the
threat had a hollow ominous sound
Accordingly Mr.. W. L Dickey. the
manager who is a pleasant, agreeable
gentleman announced a new set Of
rules. He would promise to not advance
the retail prices. He would sell ice to
poor people in five cent pieces He
would not send his ice out OF the city to
sell it as he had threatened to do but
would allow the people to buy it and
keep cool during the hot weather.
All this is very gratifying. 1t is not
usual for a trust to make even such
small concessions and Mr.. Dickey
should be congrat u1ated for his kind
ness of heart IN needing the cry of a
trust ridden people He may still keep
his promise to make his trust a good
trust.