The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-22
ADDRESS OF C. ". POST
Before Convention of Citizens' Indus- trial Association, St. Louis, Mo-, Sep- tember 20.
THE LABOR TRUSTS.

until now, the oil which lights the home | of the workingman costs him about l2 cents per gallon as against about 30 | cents which he had to pay before this Capital Trust began it's operations
 The Labor Trust on the contrary has advanced the cost of workingmen homes more than one half since it be- came active and powerful, We learn that the Oil Trust has CO., creed, oppressed and harmed a few competing dealers while it has benefited millions of consumers. The Labor Trust has coerced op- pressed and harmed millions of con- sumers and workmen while 1t has pro- duced some benefits to the few, about LAO of the population. This trust, however, bullies and tyr annizes the majority of it's own mem bers compelling them to join the trusts under threats of ostracism and bodily violence and 1t distributes the benents chiefly among the squad of organizers and managers in the way of high saiar- ies and unaccustomed high living While the rank and file of the enslaved mem bers, through strikes and loss of wages forced on them by their managers to obtain control of industries, leave them but little if any better off and frequent ly not so well off as before joining the trust
 For making this comparison l VIII be accused by the labor papers of belhg an enissary of the Standard oll Co., which will but add one more misstate- rnent to their already bloated budget and will do no harm.
 I simply refer to these two cases to illustrate the peculiar conditions we find in the present industrial situation. The newspapers, the public generally and the public prosecuting officers nave all Joined in a mad chase after the dog with an oil can tied to his tail, ana mob like, have bounded him from all noints, while the real dog of surly dis nosition. has been overlooked and even matted and petted by those who nate but fear him.
 The head of the Labor Trust has at- tempted to show that his organization was not trust. but failing in that now tries to palliate its offences and pacify an outraged public.
 Let me here repeat the analysis Of d ''trust." "An organization for the pur- nose of controlling the production sale and price of it's commodity and to force an increased price for what it seeks to sell
 Apply this to the Oil, Beef, Harvester, Paper or Labor Trust. The Lapor Trust. like all others, seeks first to con trol the production, keep down the number of apprentices, and prevent all men but trust members from selling their labor
 When great demand occurs as in the attempted rebuilding of San Francisco, this trust sends word to the world tc keep away, the situation is controlled by the Labor Trust and no outsider will be permitted to work. Competitor in the sale of labor is cut off and the nrice is run up to $500 and 5000 day and progress held back until former citizens despair. Given further and complete control there seems no reason why this trust will not run the price up to $12O0 or $500 or any price de cided by the managers.
 Think for a moment of the methods and you cannot get away from the fac that this trust operates on exactly tn same general policy as any other trus and with the same purpose in view
 Now why does the citizen naturali oppose a trust? Because the purpos' of each and every one is to stifle com petition and take away from men no members, their freeborn American righ to produce what they can, and that | labor of some kind, and to Sell it il an open and untrammelled market. Bu of all trusts ever formed, the Laoo Trust is the most opposed to the right of man and to human liberty.
 If the OH Trust had put the price o oil up instead of down the commo man could easily exercise his free'bor right to do without or purchase som other form of light, candles, gas Q electricity. But the Labor Trust say .'Bow down to us, contribute to ou funds, obey our rules, starve when W command, pay our prices, buy only c us and nowhere else, or we will os tracise. boycott or assault you and de stroy your property and business.
 The Italian secret order of the "Blac Hand" notifies its victims to obey i mandates or suffer the consequence The Labor Trust freqently does tn same thing and carries out its threa as far as the public will permit. LabC union outrages became so numerol and oppressive that public opinio finally insisted upon less bloody wal fare, thereupon the Labor Trust turr to politics to force through laws whlt will permit their members to carry o' the trust purposes without danger legal punishment
 They continually demand of Congre laws solely in the interest of the Lao Trust and which are openly opposed the interests of the people. Take the anti-iniunction bill for which u Federation of Labor Is now making u fight of it's life. They demand of Co., sress a law to strip the courts of pow to issue injunctions in labor disputes that bands of lawless strikers can siu murder, dynamite or burn before Il courts could stop them. These shor sighted anarchists do not realize tn such a condition of no-law would lea them open to similar attack by al man or body of men, or an old fashio ed vigilance committee made necessa