The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-21
Forms International Trust.

Justice, in, discussing this, said: !
Forms International Trust. I
"What is known as the tobacco
trust furnishes fine example OF the
patriotism Of these big corporations
of the love and affection they have for
the country that makes them possible.
We all remember the time when the
tobacco trust made its famous assault
over there and fighting like hero to
break into the En- glish trade and dem
onstrate the superiority of American
tobaccos. 1t was fine and we all ad.
mired it. But in little while the
British began to operate in this country
and to give the trust a taste of the
way it feels to be invaded. That made
us all appreciate the courage Of our
men the more, because it made tobacco
very cheap in this country. But what
happened7 ; The trust, finding it could
a lot Of money, took the other tack
and made a combine with them. Yes,
sir, the American and English got to-
gether and made deal whereby they
are in one concern. Prices were shot
up to the old point and neither the peo-
pie of this country nor Of the
British Isles have any reason to take
patriotic pride in a concern, which
milks both countries alike, and which,
indeed, has since spread to other coun-
tries, one Of which is Egypt.
"Your Egyptian cigaret is a trust
cigaret whether you buy it in the
United States or in England or in Ire
land or in Egypt, and the price is the
same; likewise the profit. An Amer
icanztrust will call upon the. speople=of
This! country to stand by and give it
Sc Ayo,c Ianu 1 n
stitution which is carrying the Amer
lean banner far and wide, but the min
ute it sees more margin in combine
with some concern abroad it ceases to
be an American trust and becomes an
international one. Il, Why then should
not the American government exercise
some discretion in what it does for the
American combines7 ...>,
"When corporation becomes so
big that it is in a fair way-to become
a world power, levying its taxes on the
people of all lands and acknowledging
fea1ty to none, it is high time that
mere governments, charged with look
ing after the welfare of all the people
over whose destinies they preside, take
some steps for the protection Of the
common consumer.
"The Standard Oil company has
tried to control the mineral oil output
VI GuS "O41u, ouu udNo LIZ uOuDG
would willingly form combine with
the Russian government, it's only re-
spectacle competitor, if it could thereby
see an increase in it's profits. It
profits that these large combinations are
organized for and not for the purpose
of earning glory for the flag of any
country. The flag is we'll enough to
use when it serves purpose, but IF it
ever becomes question of the flag or
the profits you will always see the flag
come in second best. 1t takes time
for these big things to crystalline into
form, but I shall not be surprised to
see, in time, world combines on steel
and oil and tobacco and other staples
capable of being handled in that way,
and run by men so powerful, fnan-
cially, as to- be able, to dictate the
course of most Of the governments of
the world. The trend is certainly all
in that direction.
emo, Mr.. Rockefeller can talk win
ningly about patriotism, but patriotism,
like charity, begins at home. It is
the duty of the government to see that
the meat packers do not poison our own
people before we pay attention to the
export trade. A great export trade is
highly desirable, Of course, but not at
the expense of the welfare Of the peo-
pie of the United States.''