New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-01
MR.. DIXON DEFENDS TRUSTS.
HE SAYS THAT COMBINATION Is THE LOGICAL
END OF COMPETITION,

HE SAYS THAT CONVERSATION 1s THE LOGICAL
END OF COMPETITION.
The Rev Thomas Dixon preached n stirring ser
mon at the Academy OF Music yesterday morning
on Ignorance and Greed" He took demagogues
task for fattering the people instead Of teaching
them their ignorance. He spoke of trusts
and corporations as step forward away from cut
throat competition and toward cooperation and
as models for the people to go to work by to bring
about a better condition in the market In which
human toll is the object of barter. He argued
that antitrust laws, honestly enforced. would set
the world back and would prevent ordinary part
nershps Movements IN such directions, he said.
were the outcome OF ignorance and stupidity. and
the sufferings Of humanity he attributed to ignor-
ance.
Trusts and com binations." Mr.. Dixon said. ARE
the end Of competition. They are the natural
evolution of the scheme Of competition. When n
man goes into certain field there's competition.
But here's a man Of transcendant genius who finds
that this work can be done by one firm instead of
a hundred He forms his combination or trust.
kills off the smaller firms, and keeps them Killed
That's the logical conclusion OF the scheme or
competition. Is II evil? No. Why? thing must
be distinguished from a process. The product Is
not the process. 1t is entirely different Combna-
ton is the product Of competition. When this
flower blooms II points the way TO unerring prog
ress for the people II combinations are so sue
cessful for individuals who have been the pioneers
let there be others to follow the example. What
do YOU want to destroy the Sugar Trust for? You
heard stand up and say that ono re-
fnery could make all the sugar this Nation can
eat What do you want to have ten men cutting
each others threats for? Ten refneries could not
make sugar cheapy as the one could they? II
you say that refinery can make all the sugar
for this country, have you not sense enough 10
take a lesson from It? II not then you may wait
for the experience of another generation to teach
hat
about an antitrust Jaw? The moment you pass
euch n law YOU will destroy legitimate commerce
You could not, under the law, form partnership
in this city H.. ,
The theory is that under pure and free com
petition the world IS going 10 be swee'er ana d a
istence Tear down all the big stores and go back
the little ones Personally w4Hid ra.h hrsed
reign OF humanity is going to come when a man man
has got go to the Battery for pair Of sn .
bring about the millennium What Is me sense Ok
~ Is not going backward instead of f9rWarn
are no trusts; where can fight az hard as they
want This is the labor market II comPe'f or,n
trade unions; they hinder competition II comptt-
ton good for the goose It Is good Tor the gaha
In which there Is no combination. The women 90
not combine That ought to be an Ideal hed. II
ia beautiful and the more see of IT the better
ike H. I have seen the army Of women going to
work each day, crowdng one another Out OF EN- EN-,
pIr9ympIe each other to death There combina
have NO: a. II Seq vey
blood had been squeezed from them in the struggle
for life This beautiful This s.a eomPet'o o
society There's nothing to stop them from killing
other Wish ih1, sad w save our Ust
hood The old trust has been broken up II was
chvalry We want trusts and more o, th s The
womanhood OF the world and it that IT could
Of hat he c S9Td Conner amG save The
market OF the world and rescue the masses"