The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-31
The Wessenwer.
Entered at the Postoffce at Whining
ton. n. c., as Second-Class
Matter April g, 1875.


The president of the United States
Steel Corporation "a gigantic trusts
Mr.. Charles II. Schwab. In a speech
before the late session Of the Civil Fed
Grafton Conference, he spoke in a way
that gave some hope to the wronged
and the oppressed millions. He said
that no trust, or combination which
aims to control the output can succeed.
for the law Of the land of supply and
demand must govern. He said. and IL
true it is commendable, that the policy
of his corporation-he denied it was a
trust-was Ito try to make money by
reducing the cost Of production. not by
advancing the price to the
If the great trust is ever to be a sue
cess. it will be because managed along
this line which restricts competition
and at the same time invites larger
consumption"
IN a speech delivered since before the
Bankers Club of Chicago. he proclaim
ed what would be a blessed thing indeed
il true. tina 1.-The trust is a dead bust
ness proposition. built on a trinity that
would wreck anything; the restriction
of trade. the increase Of prices and the
throttIing Of competition" Ask the
American Tobacco Trust as to the truth
of Mr.. Schwab's declaration. n it
would snap it's fingers, and laugh at
him and all who thought that its partic-
ular trust lis dead" 1t is very live,
and is reaching out n of its octopus
arms to bring under it the business in
European countries. Mr.. Schwab's idea
is that a modern business combine is
not a trust and does not work on its
lines or with its methods. He thinks it
absolutely reverses the three methods
indicated above.
But let no one be deceived by the fine
words of Mr.. Schwab or any n else.
Trusts still live and grind and crush.
All over this land are the wrecks of
that were destroyed by combinations
and trusts of the most unholy, devour-
ing kind. In North Carolina men have
been driven out of business by monopo-
ly and trusts. That all trusts shall sue
coed is not to be expected. There are
many factors in successful business op-
erations. When the right fellows get
into the right places they force success. |
1t is so in combines and in trusts. The
sentimental theories may shout and
write fine essay on the laws of trade
and the impossibilities of wrong doing
in business. but facts are facts and all
around the land the people know for
they have felt the fangs, hat the
trusts have oppressed them n caused
them. Go into the old fine tobacco
countries in North Carolina. n tell
them that trade laws cannot injure
them in farming operations. and they
will tell you that you are ignorant and
dreaming. that they have lost for a de-
cade more than half the money of their
farms by reason of the monster tobac-
co trust. The laws of trade may not be
ALWAYS fixed. The trend in his coun-
try is to absorption. to controlling
everything by corporations five or six
huge corporations will contest every
mile of railroad in the United States.
A wise gentleman-an expert railroad
official-years ago foretold this result,
and everything looks that way now.
Let the time come when it can be said
with truth that all trusts have failed.
and competition is evermore open to all
and free from the grinding effort of the
money power. and the people will re-
joice with a mighty rejoicing. But when
will that good time come. if it is ever
coming?