Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1903-03-27
SHODnY PROSPERITY.

speechcs or read the metropolitan news
papers. Where there is ~ much smoke,
there must be sonc tire. And there is.
The earnings and profits Of the raii-
roads, trusts and monorolies are simply
marvellous. The net profits of the steel
trust in 1907 were Sla2, O0O.CU1. OF the
Standard Oh trust Si5.00O, 900: of the
beef trust probably SlCO.OCO.OO0 and of
the anthracite coal trust perhaps Sl0l..
GCo.uU0 in spite OF the six months strike
The profits nf the thousands OF other
trust : ipclu,iiug the natural monopoly
trusts were enormous
Bat trusts Hni ~muuovolics cannot
thrive except 10y Obtaining high prices.
They are III fact paid 10y the whole Of
our U.tCo,uCO people. Upon all 81 them
except IL comparatively tew, rests the
h""vy burden al trust prosperity. Tie
farmers Of the west have been able tn
carry their share Of this hcaV! burden
because ihcN have been blessed with
excellent crops for five or six years and.
because Of poor crops in the rest of
NlS " y NaANc sun NiclT II'lhNlE ~
high prices. But Tor these facts the
trusts would have been compelled To be
more mode rate III their charges, and the
cost ~ living would not have increased
80 grratly over ~ r"r cent in tive years.
Wage eIrners have Been trying I" ret
advances III Wage WhI:h would enable
them Ia live through those trying pros.
perlty times; but. ~ usual, wages do
no rise rs quickly nr ~ mach ns prices,
and at least nall IT nmr population are
struggling along aud waiting and hop.
ing Tor hard times and lower prices.
DO You tOubt this st ,temrui: ConsIdc.
"A few facts.
Organized chart! never mad greater
difficulty than during the rast winter in
meeting the demands up IN 1t. The
Rev. Father T.wrs If New York l.
quoted as saying that there never Were
surn general suffering and extreme
poverty rs this winter"
The Wool aud Cotton Reporter has
FOR VT ks been complaining uf the poor
demand for WOODEN goods and of the
comparatively low price OF wool when
other prices are very high and when the
scarcity of wool the world over Is greater
Il m the present generation ever saw
and the Statistical position" Of wool
would warrant much higher prices.
This great trade Journal accounts for
trls lack Of demand for wOolrns 10y say.
ing tJnD. 30 that the diminished pur.
chasing power Of the masses will not adj
init Of their paying more II says the
people cannot atTor! to pay for good
woulcns and adds significantly:
In th!s connection it Is worth noting
that the .hoidy dealers are talking very
bullishly and are looking forward To- m
u%nusuaIly profitable season. Rags are
also ser! firm, and Il large business in
them is looked for ward To. Facts of this
nature cannot Re overlooked III cstimat.
ing the future III - wool market. > :
The wool manufacturer must necessarily
be tempted under such conditions rs
exist at present To- make a liberal use ui
Substitutes
Again i'll it, issue Of Feb. 10 this jour,
nal explains the lower prices Tor wool It's
saying:
ut should bc borne in mind. despite
tho alleged general prosperity Of ihc
country. the average person Is feeling
rather poor by reason Of his having t,
pay a great deal more for everything he
buys than H. has paid for Il great many
years. Tho average person today Ii IN
der the stcrUcst necessity tO pcOuomizr
The purchasing power Of the average IN,
come is low rathrr IiIHn high
These are the explanations not ri
thcOrists. but II experts familiar Will
the facts. Ia plan language. we have
to pony up So much to the trusts that
we cani'ot aiTUri to wear WOODEN cIothc,
and are instead wearing more and more
clothes male from cotton and old rnss
ground mp. From this we see that trust
prosperity mean shoddy prosperity and
that trust prosperity is. III fact. siiurIdy
prosperity for the masses. It means nm.
told wealth and luxury for the few
~mouOpOlistz aud hard work Tor the
misses at wages hat leave them "uudcr
the ]stcrnegt necc sity Ia "couOmiIo- hat
they may cuntinu" to- exist had t" pay
!ru@t prices. Great splrndor and great
sqnilur. Bu those ~ the squalOr class
can at leas' enjoy the privilege Of read
ne about the great prosperity 81 those
in 'hc -~picnior clnws. To enjoy this
privil,gc Il majority ofSslc people are
willing I" vote t" tax Themselves aud Ia
pny trust pr'r"a =" increase IA" profits
md Luxury NJ II" m~nunpolist.. Great
county, this.