Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1892 — Wrapping-Paper Trust. [ARTICLE]

Wrapping-Paper Trust.

The representatives of the wrappingpaper combine concluded their secret conference at tho Auditorium yesterday, and were congratulating themselves last evening before departing for their homes on tho fact that they had gathered in three more factories—two in Ohio and one in Indiana. There are fifty-eight mills in the United States engaged in manufacturing coarse wrapping paper, and of these twenty-six are in the trust, which has its headquarters in Chicago. This trust was badly wrecked by the anti-trust law when it first came into force, and has not fully recovered from the shook. However, it is making rapid strides, and expects have all the mills back into the combine in a year or two. At present it runs under no particular name, without a president or any high-sounding title of any sort. The product of its twenty-six mills is marketed through a general agent, and he, with two others, constitutes the Executive Committee. They are J. C. Richardson and F. C. Trebein, both of Ohio, and J. B. Halladay, of Chicago. The lastnamed is the general agent of the concern, and from his headquarters in Chicago supplies the market of the country with course wrapping paper, except in so far as the independent mills supply it. There are a large number of mills not now in the trust, and these are, as usual, cutting prices. The trust price for common wrapping paper ranges from $1.25 to $1.75 per 100 pounds, while the figures of the independent makers range from sto 10 cents less. The object of the meeting was to extend the membership of the trust and take 6teps to prevent further hurtful competition. The progress in this direction was quite flattering. Three of the largest mills outside of the trust were taken into the l’old and others are preparing to follow. A slight cut in prices was ordered, but Mr. Halladay says that as soon as the other mills are induced to join the combine the rates will be raised to the figures of two years ago.—Chicago Times. In his recent speech at the Greystone Club, in Denver, Governor Boies said of the men whose business profits were increased by the new tariff. “At first these men could not bring to their aid the united strength of either of the great polititical parties of ihe country. In both were willing champions of the people’s rights, and in both, I regret to say, where those who, yielding to the influence that wealth is always able to exert, jolnqd hands to perpetuate in times of peace laws that were born of war’s necessities alone. The scene has changed. Upon one side are now arrayed the beneficiaries of these laws, aided by allies more powerful than themselves in the shape of trusts and combines, that these laws have made possible, and so strengthened, they are in charge of the Republican party. They dictate its policy—they control its action. If they maintain their position it does not follow that this nation as a whole will cease to

rioh. We shall still go on prodooing wealth as we have done before, but a few will control it, many will be poor. Can we change these laws? Can we divide the mighty currents that are emptying the wealth of this nation into the hands of a few men, and scatter their golden contents among those who produce it? This 1b the supreme question of the hour. In the present status of political partiea*there is no power on earth that can accomplish this save and except ‘The Democracy of ’92.’ \Ve must not falter. This is the issue, and this alone will lead us to victory."