Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-11-05
IN THE GRIP OF MONOPOLY.
rrusts Are More Rampant Than Ever
and the Administration
Is ParaIyzed.

The anthracite monopoly has a firm
hold of he country, and has gradually
advanced prices until the increase is
over n dollar a ton above the rate
charged before the great coal strike
was inaugurated. That a complete
monopoly exists in the supply of an
thracite coal is apparent, for the trust
not only controls the vast majority of
The mines, but also the railroads that
carry the coal t0 market. The trust
makes the price of coal at the mines
comparatively low, and charges NOR
nous freight rates. In this way it
keeps the independent mine wner
at its mercy. The soft coal trust is
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 off, and the mines
are being run on half time, and some
have closed down.
In the western states another coal COM
bine has the people at its mercy, SO
that even that ardent advocate of pro-
tective tariff and monopoly, the st.
Louis Globe-Democrat. says:
SIS the public of st. Louis helpless
in dealing with the existing corner in
coal, a situation that has existed for
two years, and takes ar aggravated
form again as soon as there is a hint
Of cold weather? Reforms were
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. 1t will charge all mat
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 shamefully
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
Dol be broken up if President Roose-
welt will order his attorney general to
prosecute the trust magnates under the
criminal section of the antitrust laws.
The example of one %monopolist in
Jail would have more effect in sup
pressing the eXtortion of the coal and
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 nov. in the SUI
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 to
stop other trusts from preying upon
the people, but to lull the voters into
believing that the republicans are OPP
posed to trusts, and are trying to do
everything possible to stop their exac-
lions. No trust has reduced the price
or profit On their products since these
trust suits have been commenced, nei-
Their has the merger of competing lines
of railroads been stopped, for new
combinations are constantly being re-
ported, and freight rates have been adj
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 doing
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, Oc-
tober Is, says:
For beef steers, the trust pays The
producer rs per cent. less than last
year, while charging ten per cent. more
to its customers. Profit to the trust
increased by IS per cent.
For pork the packers pay 40 per cent.
less than last year, and charge Is per
cent. more. Increased profit, So per
cent"
The farmers and stock growers are
obliged to send cattle and hogs to mar
ket, when ready, if fed beyond that
point there is no extra profit. The beef
and hog combine fixes the prices to
be paid at the stock yards, and is prac-
tically the only buyer. The farmers
and the consumers are both squeezed
by this predatory combine, and all the
people are robbed for the benefit of a
few men who are piling up millions.
In the meantime the executive OF
the government seems paralyzed and
unnerved by the hypnotic influence of
the trusts. With the plain provision
of the antitrust law constantly be-
fore them, the law officers of the gov
eminent stand idle. The fourth Sec
ton of the law says:
ut shall be the duty of the several
district attorneys of the United States
in their respective districts under the
direction of the attorney general to in
stitute proceedings, etc." And Sec
ton 2 provides that:
Every person who shall monopo-
lice, or attempt to monopolize, or COM
bine or conspire with any other person
or persons, to monopolize any part OF
the trade or m among the sew
eral states, or with foreign nations,
shall be deemed guilty of a nf,sde-
meanor, and. on conviction thereof,
l .l,-1 L. u "