New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-29
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
A RAILROAD TRUST.

TO TIE Editor OF The Tribune
Sir; The chief objection tc trust TO be
two First, it is said TO prevent competition: sec
ond, 1t Is said TO raise prices Competition. however,
Is not always good witness tho sweating sys
TEN In London and the wages paid women for sewing
here. Raising prices is not always evil II they
are too low TO yield fair returns the cost OF pro
duction and distribution sugar was when inc
Sugar Trust was organized they ought TO be advanced
for the good OF the world.
But II we admit that competition is always good
as Cod and raising prices always bad as the devil
and can still find an industry in which permanent
competition play no part. and one which does
not fix its own prices on its own wares. bnt psrioVe
accepts those which are fixed for It by the buyers
What becomes of the argument against trust 50
tr as the particular industry is concernedI 1Oh
Cannot object to trusts preventing competition III
halter in which constant competition Is Impossible
You cannot object TO trust because IL VIII raise
price when the prices charged are fixed by the
buyer not by the sellers. Every student OF the
railro@ situation in the United States knows that
competition can play no permanent part In lis evo
ution Some of the students have forgotten this. 70
be sure, n their general horror OF Trust; Out H.
remains the nevertheless, Again. fares and freights
are fixed b. the people who pay them. Here ana
there is Shte which does not directly regulate ra
road fares, bt this happensin the cvIizcd states
only where thevates already pleasing to the public
]
and discomfort ~uld bcget regulation
The ordinary Objections 10 a trust. then. do not
hold good in the cSe Of railroad trust. Ana there
are positive public Advantages The community may
be grouped into thru parts far as this or any
other great industry iAeoncerned. There owners.
employees, customers. The owners Of railroads IA
large class in every tvfy community would of
course benefit by the erection of such trust. The
employees would be greatly benefited, for they would
he surer of fair wages ana tho worLingman's chief
desre-contnuOus emplOymAt-than they possibly
can be now There might bt a temporary surplus
of labor when the economies of Ne new system began
but that system would promOe the growth of
railroads and so develop the publ use Of them that
the trust would employ mon men than ever
IFS component parts did Finally, the community
as customers would be the most Dscfted Of all.
If would retain its practically absolute over of fixing
rates and would find that they could saey be made
lower than ever because there would Ne far less
folly and waste to be paid for out of thsu More
over such trust-and this alOne-can Aop rate
emitting This an all-impoItant point. ! is
freight rates, bat fluctuations IN mem; VINO hurt.
The freight on lab0erS l0af OF breau OF ucfsieat
when these reights unstable as Wa'r ne mons re>
they affect are tossed about HE ships at sea: Ecy
such business becomes speculation. Mhon llcn
have 10 bet on the turn OF cary wheel, thcy night
as we'll bet the turn Of card 49,, -,
And so il seems that an industry when docs NJ
permit peimaHen; competition ana which htS mn
or nothing TO DO with fixing the prices at which rs
products are sold might well he organized INTO
trust especially when It would tn n give greater
profits 10 is owners better wages and more conilnoS
ON poyment rs and lower and far more siab.o
fares and freights to the community r. large ,sov
New-York Aug. 90. 1889