Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-12-11
The rlenace to Economic independence

Recent Developments of trust
methods show that the intention of
the magpates is to stop at nothing
short Of complete eOntFal Of indus
try. Recent Developments of trade
union methods, on the other hand
show that trade union leaders, on
their part, aim at nothing less than
the establishment of a deSpotiSm
which shall deprive non-union work
ers of any possible opportunity to earn
livelihood, and shall extend to union
workers only such opportunities, to
earn barely so much income as the
union may dictate.
Between these two efforts, that of
the trust on one hand and that of the
trade unions on the other hand econo-
mic liberty is in serious danger.
How the greater trusts like the
Standard Oil Company and the United
States Steel Corporation, for example,
have compelled smaller enterprises to
enter the combination under penalty
OF ruin, is too familiar story to need
repetition. Hitherto trust methods
haze been smployea Chiefly within
the field of production. Within that
field there are left TODAY few oppprtu-
mites for the man whp would prefer
economic independence to q life Of
service as = sa1aried emplQyee. Many
thousands of ambitious young busi-
ness men, who generation ago would
sturdily have fought the battle of ex-
istence for themselves, are today in
dustrial dependents, receiving fixed
salaries, and liable to dismissal with
out warming, not for incompetence
only, but merely because trust deci-
des to modify its plan Of operations. :
4hg field of retail business has suf-
fered serious inroads here and there
by trust methods. The so-called
Cracker Trust, for example, has a
grip upon retail trade which is felt by
every cross roads and corner grocer in
the land. Department stores also,
which under another form, are essen
italy like trusts in their methods,
have been multiplying in every large
center of populations Nevertheless
until now there have remained many
business opportunities in retain trade
to which men of ambition and indie
pendent spirit, p9t possessing only a
SMALL am0Hnt Of capital, have been
ATTRACTED. That these opportunities
are as rapidly as possible to be extin-
gnished in the further evolution Of
trust methods has af late heen made
quite clear.
The story Of the means by which
the American Tobacco Company is
driving the retail tobacconist out of
business in New York, Boston, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Washington, Chi
cage, Kansas City, and ip gGQges at
SiifAilef towns as we'll, has recently
been told. Having by successive
operation secured an effective control
OF the tobacco trade and of the manu-
facture of the various brands of tobac-
co and cigars. including a very large
part OF the Cuban output, the Ameri-
can Tobacco Company Is now engaged
in taking over the retail field and APP
bALentls no expenditure necessary to
accomplish the result viii be consid-
cred too great: Innumerable retail
tobacco stores, undoubtedly backed by
tAe Trust, are Offering cigars, pipes,
and tobacco at prices which no indie
pendent dealer can meet Thus
brought face TO face with ruin, the In
dependent dealer is approached by
agents OF the trust, who offer him a