Sifting Through the Sands of Time

There is something terrifying in the power which the trust system has suddenly developed under the McKinley-Hanna administration. It seems almost incredible, yet the official figures show that the trusts incorporated in the state of New Jersey in one year have an aggregate capital of $2,446,500,000, says James Creelman in the New York Journal.

The state of New Jersey, which has in one year licensed trusts to the extent of nearly $2,500,000,000, is the home of Mr. Griggs, the attorney general of the United States. He was chosen because he was a friend and defender of the trust system.

It is any matter for wonder that Mr. Griggs refuses to enforce the antitrust law, which the Supreme Court only two years ago declared to be constitutional and necessary for the interests of the nation?

Two billions and a half on one state, in one year! this is the robbers’ roost” denounced by Mr. Bryan.

The whole anthracite coal supply of the United States is controlled arbitrarily by four railroads, dominated by four men, who in turn are dominated by one man. Thus the price of coal and the amount to be mined each year are fixed and the public must submit. Competition is out of the question.

The factories of all the large industries are being rapidly bought up or forced out of business. And as these gigantic, all corrupting systems gain in power they absolutely kill competition. No man may hope to engage in the business they control. All this is new to America. It is new to the whole world.

It is a form of tyranny more terrible than monarchy. It can crush and destroy whom it chooses. It can create famines. It can make laws and break them at will. This is new, this uncrowned, impersonal tyrant. Another Trust Incident

As usual the farmers supplying the Borden’s factories have this week allowed the trust to fix the prices of their milk product. If these same farmers wish to purchase a can of condensed milk, can they fix the price of it when they buy it at the grocery store?

Bear in mind the trust is a “protected” industry and pays less for its milk than the “unprotected” market of New York City, and because of the “protection” it receives from our common government, since the Dingley tariff has been in operation it has raised the price of its product 30 per cent. That is to say the American people pay that increase when it buys the milk produced by the farmer after the condensation.

We wish some one would tell us how “the foreigners pay the tax,” in this instance. It is even said you can buy the condensed milk made at Brewster cheaper in Europe than at Brewster. We say that this is robbery legalized by the Republican party in its tariff laws. If this be free trade doctrine we won’t deny it.