The Grenada sentinel., 1906-07-14
DUE TO MONOPOLY
GRAFT SCANDALS RESULT Or
REPUBLICAN POLICY.
Enormous Combinations of Capital
Made Possible by the Tariff,
Which Protects Them in
Robbery.

mere are persons VINO MAINTAIN
that it is idle to attempt to show q
connection between Republican poll
tics-or pOlicies-and the disgraceful
records OF current events, including
such matters as the revelations con-
corning the Chicago packing houses
and the graft" shown in relations be-
tween Pennsylvania railroad officials
and coal mine owners. Indeed, there
are those who assert that such at
tempt would not only be fruitless, but
would be nothing more dignified than
a display of malicious political preju-
dice.
However, it is certain that such con-
nection exists, and can be shown 1t
may be denied, but it is nevertheless
fact, that the conditions productive
of the results mentioned could not ex-
LIST II 1t were not for the enormous
combinations of capital, creating ex-
elusive mOnOpOlies of various forms of
trade, specially fOStered by a Repub-
lican tariff and carefully shielded by
Republican agents at Washington. One
marked effect Of such combinations Of
capital is to develop the radical evils
of monopoly. AS the Journal of Com
merce says:
The power acquired over the mar
ket fer raw material may be oppres-
sively used upon the producers of tha
material. 1t may also be used as an
instrument of coercion over transpOr-
tatiOn companies to eXtOrt discrimin-
atlng rates and preferential treatment,
so that competition may be crushed
out ana smaller independent butcher
ing and packing concerns may be
ruined. The same influence may be op-
presSively and ruinOusly exerted in the |
other direction in distributing and |
the products. This mOnOpo- |
llStic control in an industry may be |
used tor a great deal of injustice and |
wrong, and may result not in lower |
prices but in arrogating all the ad- |
of increased efficiency and |
economy, where these are actually |
realized, to the organized capitalists
who have built up this power and who
II consequences to anybody else or to
he community. 1t is almost inevitable
hat they should come to use it self
shly, greedily and, if necessary to
heir purposes, cOrruptly and tyranni-
ally. This is tendency and these
Ire consequences that have made mo-
lopolles contrary to public policy and
,aused them to be feared and detest-
d."
These mOnopolistic tendencies are
he same, in purport and result,
whether displayed by the beef trust,
he coal trust, the steel trust, or any
Ike combine. The result is always the
ame-increased wealth for the mo- {
opOly and increased cost to the con- {
umer.
When competition is healthy and {
egitimate, when business is distribut- l
among concerns Of manageable pro- '
ortions, there will always be found a t
lotive on the part of each to excel in t
he quality OF products, and to seek &
atronage by real superiority rather b
ian by the employment of glaring ad- t
which are usually false e
nd misleading, from the unwarranted C
bel Upon can to the immense sign n
'ected upon the mountain side. S
But when there is no competition, n
hen it has been eliminated by 'fa- O
'rable"-and that generally means
'ousht" so that the bus is
ess is conducted on a scale so enor- a
Gus that details are concealed, meth Il
Is may not be observed nor real r
lality judged, then the motive to ex- ii
| by reason of real worth and su- fc
riority no longer exists. The public
ys the penalty and whatever price II
e monopoly is pleased to charge. q,