The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-29
HOME MADE ROBBERS.

a
Taking the high cost of living here
the uniformity OF prices among the
dealers in food products. the stories Of
coercion told by small dealers, the
knowledge that a black list exists and
the text of the Butchers & Grocers'
constitution and by-laws-considerin
all these circumstances together-it is
fairly obvious that the consumers of
Salt Lake are being made victims of a
conspiracy in restraint OF trade.
Just what individuals are responsible
and how the conspiracy was organized
and carried out are facts for future in
vestigation, and that investigation
ought to be made by the state and
county authorities entrusted with the
enforcement of the law and the protec-
ton of the people from criminal action
whether that action originates with
highly respectable citizens benz on
genteel plumber, or with low-browed
criminals with lead pipe and slung-
shot as utensils of trade
X X
If there is any difference between the
merchant who robs the public by ex-
orbitant prices and the hold-up who
takes a mans watch it is in favor of
the hOld-up. He takes a chance and
usually has the plea of desperation:
the respectable robber poses as a good
citizen, plies his trade in The daylight
and enjoys immunity from the degra-
dation and social ostracism which at
tend the less distinguished sandbagger.
Probably nine-tenths of the men who
have been associated in this wholesale
and retail conspiracy would prefer to
keep their independence, make prices
to suit themselves and preserve the
self-respect which goes with decent
business methods. But in this case the
evidence so far adduced indicates that
the small dealer is at the mercy Of the
leaders of the combina ton. If he dares
be independent he has his supplies cut
off; virtually he has no control over
his own affairs and might as well COM
nit commercial suicide at once as to
attempt resistance. In a free country
he has as little voice in his own bust
ness as if he had assigned it to the
heads of the local trust and been COM
mitted to it's custody indefinitely.
X
Evidently the men who instituted
this obnoxious and criminal system
took a leaf from the history of the
Standard OIL. which has been the pio-
neer in monopoly and the exemplar for
predatory COmmercialism. A favorite
device of the oil trust in its campaigns
for the suppression OF competition was
TO cut off supplies from small dealers
who presumed to defy price standards
set by the trust. 1t is a beautifully
simple method of coercion and usually
worked like a charm. Here in Salt
Lake it has been so effective that a
price committee, responsible to no one,
governed only by greed for exorbitant
profits endowed with power to say
what living should cost to every citi-
zen, has established the figures the
public should pay for the necessities
of life From the millionaire to the
day laboTer every man, woman and
child in the city has been held I'D as
deliberately as if the crime had been
committed at the muzzle of a revolver.
and the net result has been just as
satisfactory TO the robbers.
II is barely possible the engineers of
the game supposed they were in a le-
climate undertaking, but some facts
connected with it make the SUPPOSE
ton doubtful Honest men engaged in
business do not make agreements
bound by secrecy which involve Illegal
results. Secrecy is not necessary in
legitimate associations. nor do
STRAIGHTFORWARD business men need a
price committee TO tell them what they
shall charge for meat and groceries.
for butter and eggs and vegetables. A
combination of high-minded. honorable
business men does not need black
list, nor does it need q credit rating
system which places at it's mercy any
man who dares conduct his own bust
ness In his own way
The amazement of the conspzrators.
at the indignation the. public shows