The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-11
NO COMPETITION.
Andrew Carnegie Declares 1t
No Longer Exists.
Manufacturers Meet and Fix
Prices, He Says.
FOR FEDERAL CONTROL
Stands by His Views Expressed
Two Years Ago.
FOR FEDERAL CONTROL
Believes the Government Should
Establish Maximum Rates.

the house steel trust committee TO-DAY
declared the day of competition had
Passed, because of ability of manufac-
rNrers to fix and maintain prices
Men" he said, have been able to
sit down and agree to fix prices and
maintain them.'
DO you believe that the situation to-
day destroys competitions" he was
asked
Certainly"
That men in these corporations meet
somewhere today to fix and maintain
prices?''
7 think that is obvious
Mr.. Carnegie was asked if he agreed
today with the views he expressed two
years ago, urging government control
OF corporations and regulation OF
prices
7 still adhere to them he answered.
Il believe the government should regu-
late maximum prices"
Don't you think it an III fortunate
condition."
L think the time has arrived when
that is necessary and 7 point to the
interstate commerce commission which
hai brought order. peace and justice
out of chaos in the railroad business
In the Best of HumOr.
Washington, Jan. 11.-Andrew Car
house steel trust investigation commit
tee today. The iron master was in a
happy frame of mind when he reached
the committee room and as on yes
terday he proved an attraction, draw
ing a large audience He told the chair
Inan before the proceedings began that
be hoped the committee could con-
Guide with him today as he wished to
return to Baltimore
Representative Bean of Texas began
questioning Mr. Carnegie.
You were connected with the iron
and steel business altogether for about
forty years, were you not?" he asked. |
Yes, sir"
You found it at the beginning a
small business p
Yes, very small
And you left it a business dominat- |
ing the business of the world %
Yes in steel"
I'm the early years You found the |
business disintegrated %
Yes
And YOU left a business greatly i'm
proved greatly extended with all its /
attributes. the ore, the Transportation. |
the coal and other facilities assembled I
6nd practically dominated by one great
corporation %
admirably Stated
Admirably stated said Mr.. Car |
negie
Has there been the same grade of
progress in the steel business since the |
United States steel corporation got
hold of the industry ?"
7 don't believe that any corpora |
tiOn can manage business like a t
partnership. When we were partners
] felt that we could run around cor
porations. You take IS young men
interested in watching even a leak in
q spigot and no corporation can COM
pete with such an organization in any
business. George Perkins came to me
one day and said:
Mr. Carnegie. you once tola me
about your partnership organization
and l thought it was foolish. Now, I
know you We're right. 1t is the same
lafa 1ar 4
and tiIs. Take Iowa for instance.
When young man [ went to Iowa
on a holiday. There L saw those beau
fiful farms those homes of a triumph
ant democracy. those young men own
ed their lands their homes. Great
Caesar. what can a big farming cor
poration do against such a condition
az that
1.-The man who owns the land is the
equal of any other man in a triumph
ant democracy. Why. I have loved
Iowa ever since [ saw that picture"
His Power to Get Business.
Mr.. Carnegie gave the committee
several illustrations of his power to get
business when he was in the steel mar
ket.
continued. Il had many close friends
in the railroad business ] remember
once the L. 2. had asked for bids for
10000 tons of rails and the bids were
TO be opened at Omaha All my COM
netitors were out there. walked
over to Sidney Dillon of the L. P, in
New York 1 had done the L. P. a
favor once. I got them loan of some
thing like 100000 in Philadelphia and
they elected me and George NJ. Pull
man directors
Il told Dillon about the bids and
asked him if the Carnegie rails were
satisfactory. He said they were.
Il said, i want the L P to do
business with me and I'll give you the
lowest price
He said. All right, Carnegie and
7 got the 10000 tons contract Now
what's the use of a corporation fight
ing against such an influence as that"
Mr. Carnegie also related how he
had given A credit to Coils P. Hunt
ington president of the Union Pacific. |
at a time when Huntington was hard !
Huntington Was His Friend
HE was my friend said Carnegie.
What chance had paid agent to
compete under such circumstances
Carnegie was questioned at length
7nfttee seeking to establish. if possible
whether s2S a ton for rails was a fair
or unfair price. or the price for which
they have sold since the organization
of the steel trust, Representative
Gardner becoming quite agitated and |
Mr.. Carnegie refusing to be fiustered
After a colloquy, the witness repeated |
his original contention that he believed |
500 a ton reasonable charge for steel /
rails at the present time
He added: IF there was a boom the |
in the business of m2kir money and /
wanted the highest prices I could get
IT wanted to sell for $50 and the /
consumer was satisfied to buy at that /