Morris tribune., 1912-05-31

of profitable field which had long been divided between
two trusts These made forcefuness OF action what
they lacked organization and had been able to eliminate
the independent trader and the stronger seemed 10
be on the point of crushing the weaker.
The business problem hinged upon transportation
The company control of freight bound to win
AS happened in spite of their monopoly the two trusts
in command of the field were doing business at constant
y increasing COST and both had suffered some serious
losses. The to the growing heavier
but so great was the demand for the goods largely be-
cause they mnisered vanity that wide market was
assured at any price.
| The ingenious promoter, who had neglected his own
profession for years while unsuccessfuy seeking to in
terest capital in his pan had worked out scheme which
would cut costs transportation the bone and there
fore the company would be able to underse the 9TH
ers to such extent that absolute monopoly would
probably result The original producers and the consum
ing public would both be forced accept the trusts own
terms.
The plan smpe-on paper-too simple the ady's
advisers thought; but the promoter persistent and
of them The question of terms came
up. The promoter demanded the sole management, his
compensation be one-enh of the net profits. and also
right subscribe one-eight of all issues of stock
From this he would bulge Negotiations fell through
and the disappointed left to seek other hackers
Here the woman's whm entered. specializing
capitalist Hebrew descent with the gift of financial
prophecy strong in his painted for her vivid
picture of the possible profits. we'll other advantages
if the scheme did work. The lady changed her mind
recalled the promoter, and the trust was launched
Though everything expected gained. success
followed but trouble also The promoter a
man of broad views visionary One of his reasons
4bo hic
desire devote it certain religious and phanhropic
purposes His subordinates however, responded less to
his influence than to the spirit of the promotion, which
was simply combination of money and genius to exploit
producer and alike. The producers suffered
most. Their story is in fact a tragedy.
Like so many pioneers in other fields. the promoter
did realize the profits he had anticipated Charged
with the responsibility for internal dssensions he
ldeposed, and for a time imprisoned He died disap-
pointed and his phanthropic purposes never
realized.
| All of this sounds modern You have read such
in the magazines and newspapers but this contract
y was dated April IT, 1892.
Il The lady Queen Isabella of Castillo; the "feld -
the East India trade (see map the capitalist Luis of
the Santange family the Rothschilds of the fteent
: century.
The two trusts which controlled the field the
trading of Venice and Genoa which the
of the combined land and routes to the Indies
1t The promoter Christopher Columbus his regi-
N GUS purpose. the expulsion of the Turks.
TO The busy Citizen has somehow to believe that
the monopoly modern invention He thinks
"a that it peculiar development of the last twenty
thirty years the United States though he has
idea that something of the sort has developed in Europe
Why else did of intelligent citizens whom this
story told fail to identify it, though all of them had
read history? Tell the story your friends and il
they guess the answer.
Every is typical of modern trust-hatching the
twentieth century, Ideas and capital meet and struggle
for the advantage An agreement reached and they
combine against public which has been consulted
at ALL This story of Columbus suggests that fea
of parcce at least four hundred years old
From Big Business and the Citizen-I, by HOLLAND
Thompson. the American Review of Reviews for June
10 le~AO~~OAO*AO%AS oO~>S~ Ce~e~e ~eSe
H. TODDED DTNETC