Cost of Farmers^ Supplies Increased. 63 



of group monopoly exerted through the national govern- 

 ment. President Dolan of the Manufacturers' National 

 Association knew well what he was talking about when he 

 said (chapter VI) that over "the home market, the great- 

 est of all markets, our control is absolute." 



Organized manufacture is in complete possession of 

 the field. Her forces command the door through which 

 competition could come from abroad — her industrial 

 groups are in league to prevent the effect of mutual com- 

 petition at home. 



When a comparatively few men in each industrial 

 group can fix the price of their products, and when, inside 

 of a wide range, no matter how exorbitant, the ]3eople 

 must pay or go without, no one with knowledge of human 

 nature would expect that reasonable prices , would be 

 charged. The case will be exceptional when price is de- 

 termined solely by the sellers, where this is not expanded 

 as far as thought policy to go. The Standard Oil Com- 

 pany illustrates human greed when given a free hand. 

 Bearing what would seem to be an intolerable burden as 

 the possessors of hundreds of millions of dollars, the crav- 

 ing for more and more is still so strong that, according 

 to the newspapers, the price of oil is held so high as to 

 return annual dividends of 40% or more. One might 

 as well try to fill a bottomless pit as to attempt to satisfy 

 human greed for gold. 



There is no other great class or occupation situated as 

 the farmer is in regard to the protective system. The 

 people engaged in trade, transportation, domestic service, 

 and persons in the professions for the most part dwell in 

 the business centres alongside of those engaged in manu- 

 facture. When incomes, salaries, wages, go up in the 

 latter employment, the higher remuneration is soon 



