The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-04

as instituting imperialism or upholding
oppression, Is a stranger to truth and
an enemy to his cOuntry'S fair fame.
There has not been taken away from the
people of those islands by virtue of the
legislation of congress and by virtue of
the decisions of the supreme court, one
right that was held by the people of
the northwestern territory of the United
States under the ordinance of 1857, and
by virtue of the addition of the several
divisions thereof into the family of
states.
One Of the results of the evolutions
which have followed close down upon
the dying hours of the old century and
which seem to bid fair to find a fuller
development in the new, is the growth
of so called trusts in the business of
production in the United States.
Much of ignorance has been manifest
ed as to the real character of the ex-
listing and growing combinations, but
enough is known to fix the character
and indicate the possible results of
these combinations, and cheap polite
1ans and rampant dema gogues are fill
capacity to ascertain the cause or prog
nOSticat6 the result of what is going on.
The people of our country must learn
10 distinguish between injurious COM
binatiOls and beneficial combinations,
and lay down this propositions So
long as the managers of two or more
industrial institutions who have COM
bined into one greater organization pro-
duce the following results no harm can
come predicated Of their action: First,
that the combination employs more men
than did the constituent members.
Second, that they pay as high or higher
wages to employees. Third that they
do not advance to an unjust figure the
products of their industry. because it
has already been demonstrated that
these combinations are producing far
cheaper than the constituent members
could. and that therefore the enormous
invasion of the markets of the world
which American industry is now sue
ceeding in establishing has been the
direct result of the cheapenIng of pro-
duct-on by the enlarged capital, better
means OF manufacture and in various
ways the cheapening of production. To-
day the American manufacturers form
an army of aggression. invasion and
domination OF the markets OF the world.
Short sighted persons complain that
some of our products are sold in Europe
at lower figure than they are sold in
the United states. This is simply an
evidence of the determination of our
manufacturers to conquer and perman-
emily dominate the markets of the old
PEELED to do what the American wire
and steel manufacturers did two years
ago, sell the product below cost. and in
this way subiugate those markets who
is harmed by it2 Surely not the laborer,
who is the producer and whose pay is as
high or higher than it was before
On the other hand. the injurious and
DANGEROUS combination. that which will
not be tolerated in the United States. is
the combination that first reduces the
number of laborers. curtails their
wages and enhances the price of the
article to the consumer. When this
takes place. organizations engaged in
that business viii be wiped off the face
Of the earth by one of two processes.
either by law, or by the more sure and
certain process of competition.
Between the law. which must be
made effective. and the unerring thun-
derbolt of competition, there is no dan
ger that the people viii suffer either
IN the curtailment of labor or the ad-
vancement Of prices. So long al the
wages Of labor keep step in unison with
the advance in the prices of the prod
ucts, the people Of the United States
Eftl not be harmed.