The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-03-27

The Dancer From Trusts

OoscINdIlOn OI the working OF
Trusts, and a consideration of the
principles involved in their being, !
and of the laws of commerce, trade |
and labor affected by them, justify the
following enumeration of the evils |
that may fairly be expected to result
from them:
They win destroy the worthy am
bition of men of all classes to excel.
They will destroy the individuaLin-
dependence of the American people,
which is the bulwark of the nation.
They will destroy that virility in the
American character, which gives Us
the precedence over other nations in
invention, energy and enterprise.
They viii destroy that indepen-
dence of the American soldier, which
comes from his recognized equality
with all men-recognizing no super
ior-and which makes him the supe-
rior of all other soldiers. No people
who can be content to accept their
bread from the patronizing hand of
Trust barons, can long maintain
their virility or their independence.
They will create a race of white
slaves If like the slaves we should
take what our superiors give us for
our labor, and pay them what they
demand, for the husks they throw us,
we will become a nation of slaves.
They will dominate our law makers
and our rulers-as they have already
attempted-and will make laws to
promote their greed, and protect
their gains.
They will control the supplies of
fuel, food, clothing, and all necessi-
ties of life and we will be at the mer-
cy of a merciless power.
The multiplication of Trusts has
already increased so largely, that
the paralyzing arms of the octopus
reach into every home, robbing them
of necessities and comforts, cutting
short the children's bread, limiting
the comfort of nres, and depriving
many of pleasures they could other
wise afford. Men who had incomes
or business that afforded them lit
tie more than a living, find that little
taken away by the tax they have to
pay the Trust for the necessities OF
life; and the laboring man finds he
has to share every hard earned dol
lar with the Trusts. Every day ag-
Igravates this burden, as the greed
and growth of Trusts develops.
When the Trust first lifted its baby
head from the pillow of its little crib
it was going to be good Trust. Ths
people were told its object was II
. combine capital, secure the best re
, results from the best of machiner,
and produce better goods at lowe
prices, for the benefit of the people
And this it would be able to do, be
8 lcause of the increased business, an
Igreater savings of wastage and de
Icrease of expenses. But this has a
. ready been proven fallacy, on man
n lines. especially by the increase
E Iprices of meat, coal, and railroa
= rates, which are notorious results o
> Trust management
d If the claim had been sincere an
honest, there would have been n
RUTHLESS crushing out or buying on
e of smaller factories or businesses a
e there has been: for a better an
n cheaper article would soon have ru
t out opposition, and prevented an
resort to drastic measures.
f This tyranny of capital over the wea
has been one of the most cruel thing
lever known in our country, and
lde monstrated at the start, tina
u Trusts were not organized to reduc
-prices to the people, or with that q
$ an incident; but to prevent compel
tion, that prices might be increase
for the benefit of the Tru:
l. barons. The world learned long ag'
that monopolies were a curse. an
they are fast learning that a monol
loly is just as hideous by the name {
Trust.
These Trusts. fattening on the m,
nopoly they have created. are multi
plying their millions, turning ii
screws little tighter on the peopl
day by day; piling up millions thu
A they cannot use except to increa:
. their wealth and power: buildin
= bar onial mansions, buying lordly e
g tates, ,lolling in floating palaces, truck
j. ling in the courts of kings. dodgin
9 the payment of taxes, and devisir
new schemes to rob the people. Is
J. possible it is for this We have Go,
lernment? Is this the outcome of fire
government? Let the thoughtfl
!. consider, and the foolish bewar
A With Jefferson, 81 tremble for N
9 country, when 1 remember that theI
a is God of Justice in the heavens"
a Surely, the evil is coming in like
T flood, and it is our duty to ride ahea
and warn the people and the Cover
ment of the danger.
1nl
10 INSPIRED by the fact that there
,e an insurance Trust, the LegislatuI