Evening star., 1918-11-17
FIFTY YEARS AGO In THB STAR

umn OF men near Hofguin, aDother m
,ascorro. not very many leagues from
he city OF Puerto Principe: another
six leagues from Santa Crua, another
fifth at twelve leagues from Santiago
de Cuba Their great dseweaek 10
he want Of arms. but this 10 ex-
pected to be In part remedied By the
reception Of rides and ammunition
s already purchased in other COUNTLESS as,,ca
for more than two years. and broke
out rather precipitately. because OF
the discovered treachery Of several
Of the leading plotters The insur-
gents have q provisional government.
with Seniors Aguilera and Cespedes
at its head. organized and function
ing At Bayamo. and IL Is said an en-
voy may shortly be looked for ~
Washington to ask for recognition
As an illustration Of the fact that
tho trust methods brought to such
high pitch Of sue
Trust Methods cess eni, short
time ago are not
Not Changed really new tho
following from The Star Of November
IL. 1868. may be quoted:
1uSIS uO ShSdiASS~n~~-
think. under which the American peo-
pie show SO little Of that GOOD COM
mon business sense with which they
are generally accredited as when tney
have an oppoi tunity through eompe-
tition OF getting out OF tho GRIP OF
monopoly of any kind
"A long-established corporation or
company. be ii railway. steamship
telegraph or what not having tnS
whole field to itself. grows strong. OF
course. and the. more powerful II pc.
comes the greater its desire to get
still stronger and richer and the
stronger its determination. to keep out
all opposition. Having no competitor.
it has naturally dictated terms TO the
public. and they are generally pretty
comes too odious to be borne. and the
public sentiment outraged at. the I'M
positions inflicted, at last eliminates
in a competing organization Ino
new candidate for public favor. be-
ginning generally with limited means
invested by gentlemen whose doubts
and fears as to the success OF tho en-
terprise alternate pretty evenly: must
feel its way and move cautiously.
But one thing 1t does. quickly and
surely 1t puts down prices "a! oe-
low the old rates, but still at . living
figure. IL decently patronized. a. 1t
generally is at the outset Alarmed
at the turn things are taking. the old
monster now determines to crush out
the presuming adventurer and puts
down prices to figures that are ruin
ously low. but which i; can stand for
a little time by drawing on Its re
served fund accumulated savings.
etc. And just here is where the Amer
ican folly looms up so conspicuously.
Instead of standing by the competitor
who proposes to do legitimate busi-
ness at legitimate rates. the gullible
public fondly believes this present
state of things will last forever and
transfers its patronage to its old OPP
preessor. now playing the role of ben
cfactor. s.
what is the result? In nine cases
out of every ten the opposition is
driven to last extremity by the
shrewd tactics of its opponents and Is
either bought out or crushed out
Then follows the inevitable sequence.
The prices go up to the old figure, or
still higher. to make up for the losses
Of the crusade and the public. by its
own foolish act is again in the
clutches of a monopoly. as 1t deserves
to ne. for not showing more wisdom
when there was a chance for emanci-
patton.
This is the history of the past and
IS likely to be that of the future also
unless the business community profits
by its experience and shows more
ability to resist such petty tempta-
tions to save at the spile. In the
meantime. we trust it will pardon US
for reminding it of its folly"