The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-09-12
THURSDAY, SEPT. y, 1912.

In his recent speeches the third term
candidate for the presidency has sought
to convey the idea that George w.
Perkins is an altrust and accepted his
support after Perkins had assured him
that he was the only public man who
was trying to bring about such con-
ditions as we ought to have"
This man Perkins who is chief among
Roosevelt's staff of confidential man
ayers, put together the international
Harvester Trust in the summer of 1902
in defiance of the terms of the anti
trust law, which Mr.. Roosevelt on his
entrance into the White House had
previously taken an oath to defend and
execute, and the Harvester Trust com
bines business with politics in large
degree. 1t is said, by those who claim
to know whereof they speak, that it is
'the most insolent and dangerous
monopoly and also the most insidious
and powerful political machine in exis-
tence." This is due to the nature Of
the business in which it is engaged.
Through its army of agents and "block
men" it reaches directly every farmer
in the country and indirectly large
number Of merchants and shopkeepers
in the small cities and villages. There
are hundreds Of these employees of the
trust in every state of the union, par
ticularly in the west and middle west,
and they know the political necessities
Of their employer. They come into
immediate contact with the voters
and, there being no longer any com
petition in their line Of business they
are in a position to grant favors or to
withhold as their helpless customers
are amenable 10 their desires, or the
reverse.
Men who seem TO know say that this
great power has been exercised in a
way TO delight the most adroit political
bosses in the land. Indeed it is no.
torious fact that the so-called political
bosses become part and parcel Of this
gigantic machine and work in harmony
with it. Thus the task OF the boss is
greatly simpliiied. All he has to do is
TO ascertain what is wanted at trust
headquarters and then join his ma
chine forces with the machine forces
OF Mr.. Perkins. Some big results are
sure to follow for it is an invincible
combination, particularly II its candi-
date happens to be one who confuses
the issue by preaching civic righteous
Gess.
In the days OF competition the max
ers OF farm machinery, when rival
manufacturers sought TO excel in the
quality of their products and the
reasonableness Of their prices, it was a
common thing TO read in the country
and other newspapers advertisements
OF the different articles that local com
petitive agents had for sale. 1t was a
sure sign OF healthy trade conditions.
In a journey across the country one
Will not meet with such thing now,
not since George w. Perkins monop-
oily came into vogue. The Harvester
trust does not need to advertise it's
products now, for 1t has no competition.
In the ten years since the Harvester
trusJ was organized it has managed to
secure almost complete control and ac-
cording TO recent statement publish.
ed broadcast as news item it "makes
more than 90 per cent OF the agricul.
tural implements OF all descriptions
sold in this country" Consumers
must buy Of the trust or do without.
In the same statement we are told
that during the past five years the
average percentage earned on the pre-
ferred stock OF this young trust was
Il IL, and on the common stock, after
allowing per cent for the preferred.
II l-2. In 1910 when the trust was
but eight years old, it declared a stock
dividend Of s20,O00,00O, and its net
profits were SIG, 0S3, SO"
We quote these figures, not that we
are ecvious OF those who prosper, bu,
In order 10 show how Mr.. Perkins and
his trust can afford 10 favor new
party whose chief candidate believe,
In the kind OF Industrial reform thai
Mr.. Perkins believes in.
In our Judgment one admonishinl
word 10 Mr.. Perkins from the Presi
dent of the United States Roosevelt
In 1902 would have put an end to hi,
efforts in creating the present monop
oily in agricultural machinery. In
stead, Mr.. Perkins was a welcome Wis
itor, at the White House, and it IL
said exerted a powerful influence ir
blocking the wheels Of justice in the
Washington departments, thus escap
ing prosecution. And further, one
word from the President in 1907 would
have saved the Tennessee Coal and
Iron Company from being absorbed by
the Steel trust. But in neither case