Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-01-30
JoLTlNG THE LUMBER TRUST.

ne tumDer uuSt came In Tor FEW
remarks by Senator kitredge, of South
Dakota, in the United States senate a
few days ago. Senator Kittredge land
ed on the trust hard. He declared il to
be the king Of trusts in restraint of trade. .
In its far-reaching effects" said the
South Dakota senator, there is none to
compare with it. 1t is remorseless in its
grasp on the people, and the only change
which it contemplates is to increase the
price Of its products at Stated and fre-
quent intervals without regard to cost.
The consumer not only bears the burden
Of its aggressive policy of advancing
prices, but also of the profits of interven-
ing agencies. For him there is no es-
cape from the avarice of this monopoly.
To him the lumber trust is a tangible,
living reality. When he sees these ad-
vancing prices without reference to In
creased cost Of production he needs no
argument to convince him that the gov
eminent to which he contributes his
support and renders true allegiance is
derehct In its duty unless it employs all
the resources at its command to relieve
him Of these expressions.
Its prices are idendcally the same
whether in Minnesota or Arkansas, ILL.,
nois or Texas. Indiana OF Missouri,
Louisiana or Ohio, or in any other por-
lions Of the country"
To show that the profits of the trust
are enormous Mr.. kittedge said that it
costs S 10 to manufacture the lumber at
the mills and yields to the trust a profit
Of at least 200 per cent. According to
the last census Of the United States the
value Of timber products in 1900 was
$566.600,000. From this the enor-
nous profits accruing to the trust are
patent. This trust not only arbitrarily
advances the prices of lumber but resorts
70 drastic and unscrupulous methods to
crush independent dealers.
"Thessretal Dealers he continued,
are notalone in the clutches Of the trust.
| he wholesaler is subject to its domina-.
ion as well. If he sells to an unauthor-
zed dealer he is subjected to boycott
md other penalties. The mill men are
lso subject to like domination and like
discipline. Within the past FIVE years
he prices Of lumber and timber products
ave been arbitrarily advancedfrom 100
0 500 per cent. This is nothing better
han robbery and is, in fact, the plumber
1 commercial outlaw. Had the ex-
'tence Of the trua been known to the
famers Of the tariff act of either 1890
r 1897, it is not probable that it would |
ave been thought necessary to foster |
he lumber industry by protective duty. |
However that may be and whatever
nay have been the argument in favor of
UGH duty, there is no longer either
necessity or excuse for its continuance.
is not the policy Of this government to
oaer monopoIes, and while it must be
apparent that the present duties are not
olely responsible for the exorbitant
prices Of lumber. yet am unquali6edly
n favor Of their repeal.
This criminal combination is menace
% the whole country on which it preys.
Of all the trusts perhaps this is the only
one Of which it may be tuthfuIly said
that it is literally with us from the cradle
10 the grave. The federal government
alone has the legal authority and judicial
power to punish and dissolve it.
And kithedge is a republican sena-
tor, too.-State journal. Republican.
Senator Long voted for the ealarv