The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1901-12-26
OUR MOST SERIOUS DANGER

Development OF TruBts.
The Iron Age of Dec. 10 contains un-
der the caption "The American Situa-
ton, Its Strength and Weakness, From
an English Workman's Standpoint"
long letter from Sheffield, England, by
Stuart Uttley.
Mr.. Uttley has evidently returned to
England after visit to America and
Is discussing some of the most striking
things he saw here, especially in the
iron and steel mills. incidentally he
mentions the economic and social prob
lens which he thinks we must soon try
to solve. On these points we take the
following extracts from his remarka-
bly, able letter:
"Tf American articles are sold at a
loss abroad for the purpose of captur-
ing foreign markets, some one has to
pay the piper AS this will not be the
manufacturer, then it is obvious 1t
must be the consumer. 1t Is In effect
bounty, and bounties are like BOOM
erangs-they invariably strike the hand
that threw them. Take the well known
case of sugar bounties as an illustra-
ton. In order to capture the sugar
trade France, Germany and other Eu-
ropean countries gave substantial boun-
ties on sugar, and the British consum-
er is thereby enabled to get his sugar
at 215 cents per pound, while, on the
other hand, the consumers in the boun-
ty giving countries have to pay
nto
spite this the British sugar trade has
not been absolutely ruined, but latter
| ly has been improving, to say nothing
of the enormous confectionery, jam
and biscuit Industries which have been
created by the introduction of bounty
| fed sugar.
$50 long, therefore, as protection was
exclusively applied to the home trade
| of the United States it has been tow
er Of strength, but now that she is
making a big bid for the trade of out
side markets 1t will, | venture to as
sert, be a source of weakness and will
effectually prevent her making head
way.
"T am perfectly well aware that these
views will not find favor with many
Americans, who regard protective tar
ifs as their sheet anchor and who
would as soon think of crossing the
Atlantic in washtub as abandoning
their favorite protection. The fact re-
mains, however, that protection gets
credit for good many things which it
has had nothing whatever to do with.
The marvellous mineral wealth Of the
country, the unrivaled waterways, the
rich virgin soil of the far west, the un-
tiring energy of the people, the con-
slant influx of the more enterprising
myriads from the old world the splcll-
did climate, the absence Of ancient
vested interests and unrestricted mo-
nopolles, the freedom from militarism
and the land practically free from the
grasp of the militant aristocracy, are
all advantages which would more than
outweigh the most mischievous and
narrow fiscal system. l am. Of course,
expressing myself as ar Englishman
who has the most unbounded conf
dence in free trade, but l unhesita-
tingly assert that from the moment the
great republic adopts the free trade
policy she will become England's most
serious rival in the worlds markets
The fact is that British statesmen,
manufacturers and economists really
dread the adoption of such a policy by
the United States.
"Now, venture to think that Amer
ica's most serious danger Is the amaz-
ing development Of trusts.
Rightly or wrongly. Englishmen be-
lieve these gigantic monopoles to be
the direct outcome Of protective tariffs
Nothing indeed Is SO certain as that II
such state of things arose in England
there would be fierce and successful
agitation for parliament to interfere te
curtail the abuse of power by monopo
lies.
"In Great Britain organized capital
and labor are both sufficiently strong
to respect each others opinions and tt
lend willing ear to the voice of con
ciliation, but from what / saw ant
heard in the States organized capital IL
the giant ard organized labor the
dwarf
"Allow me, however In closing to say
that nothing so strongly impressed m'
while in the States as the collective i'm
potence of labor and the growing ant
crushing might of the trusts"