Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-08-30
OnuANlLEu COMPETITION.


these politics! philosophers who rely upon
tho laws OF supply aut dsm,nd to regulate
markets, are like tia mariner. who depends
upan currents and hsadlands to guide bis
aaulss Ebsn tho sky ia obscured and the
ocean agiiet ID with tempest. Theae laws, in
tbsir application to ths Southern Statss, imply
d foreign market open 10 the Gsots u Sums
sight m,!!ious ot pooIe. TITO tact y: Wal has
cut of this foreign Iesturcc, ard compelled
tn;s people to divide amongst them supply
Insufficient for their usc Tho holders of this
insufficient Supply era uionopolista' whether II
BE- Of Brazil cCfoe, excluded By the blockade,
or t flour, excluded by Yankee raid upon
Cur railroads. There ia no limit to the price
czaoted by these monopoliats, except the Ca
pa9i1y ol the consumer to pay. Composition
is out of tho quostion where the whole supply
il n,i5licusiy insufficient for half the demand.
10 regulate prices by sumptuary lave is folly,
he,ansp tho monupolist need only close Liz!
door,. AID the enrrIiaut eohsumer must lm'
pfurc hlm u vi"laic tho law, aud take higher
thai tl.e lseal price. Buyer and seller cim'
h:ne ~ csads the iLw.
The lAw oil supply and demand is, then, not
repealed, hu: obstructet by the higher law oil
war. There is No ouen market, snd demand
oan no E,GTe create supply than the cry OF On
inlsnt can generate lis natural aliment when
ths fountain of eusisnanco is tIy and OK
haustli.
How. ttnn. Can prioae be regulated during
The u:&;uuiru ui tho markets. Simply by
%. gaIizng the riuducti4u aud supply oi such
arLi,!ss ii prime Necessity aa the publtc 10
gaite=. That great 1ohsuMeF, iIo1 at the
mercy Of tho lDohopoIiSt must come'into mar
ket US q sellor. II Must Sell to itself at rs-
daosl prices. in order to reduce the price
ohsrEei is by the mon0polist. The pub
liz mus. purchase the needed Grtiols, CT
tho IAN material in quantities; tbs ex.
pen5s of transportation and of sale having
been added to the prime cost, the market
price must reimburse the outlay. The profit
Of tue public will consist in the saving upon
the u.on1pety psics. Take al, example
tsn Thousand io1ple buy s1ap at tho monopoly
pri1s u elk dollars pound, they ds!stinne To
oIgaLiz0 tho production Ut this article. They
csthhl.ah factory. employ labor, buy and
manufacture stock. Their price for the srti-
cis laid down in market is two dollars q
pound Tho monopolist, to sell in tho same
market, must reduce his price to two dollars.
Public competition has thus enforced the law
OF supply and demand. The whole people
sre stockholders in the enterprise. ard the
dividend Of profit to ouch is tho difference
between the price paid to tho Ronopolist and
to tue agency.
70 organize the production OF cry staple
sEticlo of public uso is just the problem of
public gas or water works. People get tired
Of buying candies snd carrying water. They
organize public supply Of light and water
This supply meets the demand and regulates
price. Thenceforth 10 monoooliss can un-
dsrsell the public gas works or the hydrant.
We have written this leoturs upon supply
TO state what We conceive to be the principle
regulating prices in market. II points to one
remedy, and that remedy is to organize on
public account supply of our prime popular
necessities We need meat, bread. clothing
md fuel. The experiment Of buying and SELL
ng beet Oh public account has worked TELL.