The Robber Barons were ruthless. They had enough power to cut the prices below the cost and drive out its small competitors. Once the competitors went out of business, the corporations could raise the prices to whatever they wanted. This was an unjust power they had, which no single group should ever have. In document B, George Rice, a Rockefeller competitor states that his refinery had been shut down during the past three years owing to the powerful and all-prevailing machinations of the Standard Oil Trust.
             This shows that these ruthless people such as Rockefeller exercised their powers in unjust ways. These unmerited tactics ended a competitive marketplace and to affirm their monopolistic power, the companies created trusts with each other.
             The trust agreements were harmful to the country. Some were economic combinations that allowed a small group of people, trustees, to own and control the companies. The companies then got better deals than other competitors. This was unfair for the smaller business owners that had to transport their goods at much higher freight rates. The trust also functioned to destroy competition (Document D).
             This shows that the Robber Barons intended to eliminate their competition. This as well messed up the free enterprise structure, and the corporations now operated non-competitively with the freedom to dominate the economy. The trusts also had weapons, which included threats, intimidation, bribery, fraud, wreck, and pillage. In 1887, the Oat Meal Trust decided that part of their mills would be closed, and as a result many workers lost their jobs.
             The purpose of doing this was to supply less, and as the demand still remained high, the price increased one dollar per barrel. The mills were making more money when inactive than when in operation (Document D). This shows that trusts are immoral. People lost their jobs and had to pay more money to get the s...