The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-11-13
A WHEEL WITHIN A WHEEL.

Every now and again we see the
statement In the daily press that
notwithstanding business depression,
wages have not been lowered. or
that. with the return of prosperity.
the nayrolls of this, that. or the other
corporation have been increased; or
that wages for this. that or the other
craft have been raised" All OF which
IS done for effect; for it sounds we'll
and looks nice on the face OF 1t; but
il does not state the facts i'm the case.
Something moro than year ago, three
others. with myself, had the pleasure
and honor TO represent organized la-
Dor at a conference of all the COM
mercial and Industrial bodies Of the
state. which was held at Salt Lake
City During the after banquet dis
cussion of the causes of the high
prices demanded for the necessities
of life: and while the railroads were
being cXcoriated for the part they
were playing in causing those high
prices. your humble servant made
the following statement
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen;-
You have justly arraiened the rail
roads for the part they are playing in
this matter, but you have overlooked
one OF the most notorious factors in
the creation and ma cGance Of high
prices that we have 10 contend With,
namely, stock-wGteroJ trusts While,
as my friend across the table has
said, The railroads are charging eX-
orbitaut freight rates. and are large
" responsible for the high price OF
living I want TO say, gentlemen. they
are not wholly responsible. You will
have to look further than that. There
Is practically nothing that We cat,
drink or wear that Is not controlled
by that perfiidious thing commonly
called trust" Those trusts" cap
italized for twice or thrice the money
actually invested, gathers up and con-
trolls the output of the things we must
have. and holds the price so high
above us that We must strain every
nerve TO reach just enough TO keep
us from actual starvation. On inves-
tigation. Won win find that the father
trust" dictates to the lesser trust, the
wholesaleT-and he, catching the splr-
H. dictates 10 the small trust-thc re-
taller md nc catching the same spir.
g. dictates to the consumer; and the
consume NC Ndl liit lItlEuls -
seems r. me- therefore. the thing to
10 Is toNGins the water" out of these
1rusts". allow the manufacturer. the
wholesaler and the retailer a reason
able return for tho actual money in
vested. and We viii have more to eat.
more to wear, better and happier
homes. aud more prosperous cOun-
try In view of this then, would pro-
pose this toast:
Here's TO the water, pure, spark,
ling and bright
May it keep our minds clear, to re-
sist with our might
The greed controlled price of neces-
sity's food
That we all have TO buy, for the
great common good
So, here's TO the man who will keep
within reason
The price of our turk" near the
holiday season.
After having studied this subject
since that meeting, l have not had oc-
casion TO change my mind in the least;
that great combinations. lesser com
binations and still lesser combinations
exist, or combinations within combi-
nations. or wheels within wheels.
flourish at the expense of the great
mass Of the people. is borne in upon
us with every breeze We are told
with great flourish that wages have
been increased, and more men are be-
Ing employed than formerly; but the
amount is not stated The facts. as
cleaned from the bureau of commerce
aud labor and from Bradstreets and
Dun's reviews. are these: The cost
OF actual living necessities has been
increased, in the last three years. by
40 per cent. while wages have only
increased in same time 10 per cent.
There Is therefore a discrepancy Of
80 per cent in favor of the trust:
but this fact does not tell all the story
for whatever may contribute to les
sen the earning power of the employe.
necessarily operates as a reduction of
wages; SO. when we take into account
the enforced" holidays and half hol-