The Tucson citizen., 1902-02-22
POWER OF THE TRUSTS.

Thomas w. Phillips, formerly men,
Der of Congress from Pennsylvania
this weightv aud striking statement is !
made:
II is often urged that the strongest T
defense Of protective tariff is that 1t
enables a promising but infant IN
dustry to get a start. There Is certain /
" greater need for defending the De /
pfnuings of competition from the ruin /
less attacks of giant combinations III |
our own country than for similar de- /
tense against foreign combinations no
greater and thousands OF miles dis /
tant,
Mr.. Phillips. although a Republican
and a Pennsylvania, possesses me
sense OF proportion, The infant IN
dustries" which we have been protect
ing for so many years have developed
into full grown giants, capable not
only of monopolizing the home mar
ket. but of invading foreign countries
and competing with their rivals across
the Atlantic IN the markets OF the
world. More than this, it was only yes
terday that We printed dispatch
from the chief city Of Sweden saying
that the American Steel trust had
gohbled up the great steel works on
that city, and had also arranged to
operate the Swedish iron mines
Unless entire control of the domes-
tic field Is to be given them
il will be necessary, In the interest
OF American consumers, for Con-
gress to devise and put into effect
measures by which the beginnings OF
competition may be protected from
the great industrial combinations. Ii
protection continues to be the policy
of the United States. then W. must
have a system OF protection within
protection for the benefit of little In
dustries, the only genuine infants
in the manufacturing nursery OF the
United States. The billion-dollar con
Germs have been fed SO long on tariff
pap that they have grown to mon
strous size and are practically uncon-
trollable. The time has come when de
Tense measures are in order to keep
them within bounds. The infant OF
30 years ago is now an ogre with
cannibalistic appetite. He is eating
up all .Ae weak industries which II
permitted to AVE. might subject him
to annoying competition in the future
When he has swallowed them he viii
be in prime condition to consume the
poor consumer as well.
var. Phillips has had the best facili
ties for aseertaining how the protect
ed ogre preys upon the real infant in
austries. Monopoles control the an
thracite coal supply of the Unite'
States by establishing community o
interests between the owners OF rail-
roads and the owners of coal mines
Independent coal operators have bee
compelled to sell .neir property be
cause they could not get fair freigf
rates from the transportation inter
ests. The result is that nine-tenths
the anthracite coal deposits are no
owned by eight railroad lines, workin
under the community of-interest pril
ciple. The Oil Trust. 1t is alleged. +
ceives such liberal treatment from Il
railroads that Independent compani
cannot enter its territory. The Unit
States Steel Trust. which is capitaliz
at $f400 900. 000~-three times t.
amount of the actual investment
plants and transportation equipment
reported profits OF 1000, 900 in t
first nine months OF its existence
is gradually, but surely, obtaining co
troll of the raw material which is
sential to It's monopoly and putt
itself in position according to \
Phillips, to dictate prices upon n
terial. transportation and finish
products"
1t is estimated that the valuation
industries more or less monopolis
in character-~in including railroa
electric light companies. street II
ways and the larger industrial trust
Is $17, 900, 600 ,000--or one fifth of
true value of all the property in
United States. With such enormt
resources 1t Is easy to understand h
these monopolies overcome opposit
and intrench themselves In pow
They aim to control all the raw Il
terial and the markets, and they o
and maintain the Republican party
do their work in government. !
trusts are we'll intrenched. but the p
pie have still tn power to crush this