The Grenada sentinel., 1903-11-14
IN HONOPOLY's GRIP.


and the Administration
Is Paralysea.
The anthracite monopoly has q firm
hold Of he country, and has gradually |
advanced prices until the increase Is
over one dollar a ton above the rate
charged before the great coal strike
was inaugurated. That a complete |
thracite coal Is apparent, for the trust |
not only controls the vast majority of |
the mines, but also the railroads that |
carry the coal to market. The trust !
makes the price of coal at the mines |
comparatively low. and charges enor- |
nous freight rates. In this way it
keeps the independent mine owners
at it's mercy. The soft coal trust Ia
equally exacting, and has increased the
price even more in proportion than
the anthracite has been raised. The
Hooking Valley coal combine, in which
Senator Hanna Is interested, has
pushed up the price OF coal until the
demand has fallen OF, and the mines
are being run on half time, and some
have closed down.
AZ LAC "S6lCA II dAOlACA NOaA NOAAA~
bine has the people at its mercy, 30
that even that ardent advocate OF pro-
tective tariff and monopoly, the St
Louis Globe-Democrat, says:
us the public Of ST. Louis helpless
in dealing with the existing corner in
coal, situation that has existed for
two years, and takes an aggravated
form again as soon as there is hint
of cold weather? Reforms we're
promised last year, as a result of the
strike commission, but conditions in
st. Louis have not been improved in
the smallest degree. A monopoly mere
has absolute control. 1t could place
the price at SO cents a bushel, ana
would do it but for fear of the wrath
of the people. It will charge all that
it dares, and it is by no means lacking
in audacity. Can the people do moth
ing to defend themselves against the
rapacious and dangerous combine? Coal
| must be had, cost what it will. The
| many are trampled under shalnefully
! in this matter. If they are defenseless,
| the legislature should be called in ex-
| ira session to provide relief"
Thus this republican newspaper calls
for relief from the legislature, when il
| we'll knows that these coal monOpolies
are Interstate corporations, and can
soon be broken up if President Roose-
velt will order his attorney general to
| prosecute the trust magnates under :hA
criminal section of the antitrust laws
The example of one monopolist in
Jail would have more effect in sup
/ ~F< IN n
other trusts than all the proceedings
under the civil law that can be forced
through the courts until doomsday.
The two actions against the trusts
which the administration relies on
for popular approval are the railroad
merger suit and the Injunction pro-
ceedings against the beef combine.
Both of these cases are now in the su-
preme court, and may be decided at the
fall term, but is anyone innocent
enough to imagine that the decision In
these cases will curb the rapacity of
the railroads or the beef combine
These two suits are not intended to
stop the rapacity of those trusts or tc
stop other trusts from preying upon
the people, but to lull the voters into
!
posed to trusts, and are trying to dc
everything possible to stop their exac'
tions. No trust has reduced the price
or profit on their products since these
, trust suits have been commenced, mel
ther has the merger of competing line:
of railroads been stopped, for new
, combinations are constantly being re
ported, and freight rates have been ad
vanced on a majority of the railroads
during the past year. 1t is plain
therefore, that the railroads under
: stand that these suits are harmless.
That the beef combine is still d0int
business on the old scale, and with in
creased profits, is shown by the mar
ket reports from Omaha and other cat
tie centers The New York World. DC
l tober Is, says:
t For beef steers, the trust pays III
e producer Is per cent. less than las
e year, while charging ten per cent raor,
q to its customers. Profit to the trus
, increased by 35 per cent.
For pork the packers pay 40 per cent
less than last year, and charge Is pc
cent. more. Increased profit, SIS pc
cent
The farmers and stock growers ar
obliged to send cattle and hogs to mar
= ket, when ready, if fed beyond tha
point there is no extra profit. The bee
Il and hog combine fixes the prices t
Q be paid at the stock yards, and is l'rae
+ tically the only buyer. The farmer
s and the consumers are both squeeze
e by this predatory combine, and all tn
g people are robbed for the benefit OF
,, few men who are piling up millions.
In the meantime the executive {
- the government seems paralyzed an
unnerved by the hypnotic influence {
the trusts. With the plain provisio
of the antitrust law constantly b.
fore them, the law officers Of the go,
ernment stand idle. .:.".e"