ey are supposed
to exist and have more or less control of the market.

Fortunately for the stability of our system of currency and of finance,
the precious metals, through the small ratio which their current
production bears to the world's stock, and the fact that this stock is
scattered among an enormous number of holders, are safe from any
attempts to establish a monopoly to control their price through the
control of their production. Other metals, however, which are like
silver and gold in being found in workable deposits at but a few points
on the globe but are there found in abundance, are peculiarly adapted to
facilitate the schemes of monopolists. Of lead, copper, zinc, and tin,
we require a steady supply for use in the various arts; and the
statement has been made that the supply of each one of these is in the
hands of a trust. To see the effect which these combinations have had on
prices, let us examine the prices which have prevailed for two years
past on these four articles, as shown in the following table:

Table of wholesale prices (cents per lb.) in New York City of copper,
lead, tin, and zinc during 1886, 1887, and 1888:

+--------------+-------+------+-------+------+
| |Copper | Lead | Tin | Zinc |
| +-------+------+-------+------+
| 1885 Dec. 31 | 11.50 | 4.60 | - | 5.35 |
| 1886 Apr. 3 | 11.45 | 4.90 | - | 5.50 |
| 1886 July 3 | 10.00 | 4.90 | - | 5.60 |
| 1886 Oct. 7 | 11.00 | 4.35 | - | 5.60 |
| 1887 Jan. 5 | 12.25 | 4.75 | 24.50 | 6.42 |
| 1887 Apr. 6 | 11.00 | 4.75 | 24.50 | 6.50 |
| 1887 July 6 | 10.50 | 4.92 | 25.00 | 7.00 |
| 1887 Oct. 6 | 11.00 | 4.45 | 23.30 | 6.75 |
| 1887 Dec. 29 | 17.75 | 5.00 | 37.00 | 6.00 |
| 1888 Mar. 29 | 17.50 | 5.50 | 39.50 | 6.75 |
| 1888 July 3 | 17.25 | 4.25 | 22.00 | 6.50 |
| 1888 Oct. 4 | 18.50 | 5.75 | 26.00 | 6.75 |
| 1889 Jan. 3 | 17.50 | 3.85 | 22.00 | 5.50 |
| 1889 Apr. 29 | 16.50 | 4.25 | 23.00 | 6.50 |
+--------------+-------+------+-------+------+

Taking the evidence of this table, we conclude that the combination
which is said to control the zinc and lead markets is probably not a
trust, but a "Producer's syndicate" or corner. The prices of lead show
no such firm tendency to advance as would be expected if the production
was in the hands of a single combination.

The prices of zinc, however, show a decided advance in the past two
years over the prices fo