The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-12-24
141onopolies and Grusts.

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Paper Read Before the Chautauqua Circle.
m ONOPOLIES and trusts gener-
NH ally spoken of as meaning one
Jv and the same, and difference
is hard to find if one consider |
the power possessed by either. Yet
writers on this subject and authors of
dictionaries claim there is great diff
ference in the two words and their
true meaning. A monopoly is defined
by Webster, as the exclusive power,
right or privilege of sellinga commod. |
ity; the exclusive power, right or privi-
lege of dealing in some article or
trading in some market, sole command
of traffic in anything however obtained;
as the proprietor of a patentl article is
given a monopoly of its sale for a linn
ited time; chartered trading companies
have sometimes had monopoly of
trade with remote regions;a a combina-
ton of trades may get monopoly OF
particular product. He gives other
definitions meaning the same, but this
one would seem to make it plain that
there are very few trusts, as most OF
the so. called trusts control the prod
ucts they deal in, at least from seventy
to ninety per cent. of the output of
such products are produced by their
plants.
One author states that trusts are the
result of evolution, the development
to greater and better methods of pro-
duct;on, from the first business firm
or the mechanic who made his manu-
factured article from the raw material
in his workshop or at home, with no
other than himself to represent the
whole firm. This sounds reasonable,
as the demand increased the rroduc-
tion had to increase, 50 brought about
the shop with few men working for
an employer; later the factory devel-
oped with its foreman and Overseers
and twenty to fifty workmen; then the
large manufacturer with improved
machinery and great forces of work
men, official force and travelling sales
men; then the manufacturers pool
was formed, but failed on account of
lawsuits aud the dishonesty of some OF
the manufacturers; then next come
the combination of the large manufac'
tories, to act as one under one set OF
officials which developed into what we
call trusts. And if this be true, il
would look as tho demand and the
conditions surrounding it were the
cause OF this development and they
would also seem natural.
This being the cause of the now ex
listing trust or monopoly, it must have
been produced by the increasing de
mand for such articles and the favOra
ble conditions to such development
by similar development of other trad'
aud traffic, which would only be nat
ural and for that reason believe it t.
be a matter of evolution. But thi
does not signify that this is the end o
development or evolution of the pro
ductive system or the measure of traf
4ic, nor the good and evil so acquires
by their development.
With the increasing power to suppl
also comes their great financial powe
aud with the great profit which is pre-
duced and reinvested every year it
only natural to think that at som
time they may become complete mt
nOpOlies in the full term of the wor'
While the different combinations {
trusts claim to be impartial and tres
all trade alike, it seems strange thu
the railroad freight rates on some,
not great many things, seem to be
great deal more favorable to the lOc
tions of the large trust plants and vel
aufavorable to the locations of the II
dependent plant. In the shipment
oil it is claimed that the Standard q
Company has locations which call Fl
the lowest rates on oil, and the rat
on sugar are very favorable to Il
plants of that trust; while the indepe
dent plants are located where freig
rates on the same articles are mu,
higher.
The trust that furnishes seventy
ninety per cent. of the products CO
sumed by the country has aDother a
vantage over the Independent deal
for the trusts of this size may raj