The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-26

The fun effect OF the decision or the
limited States supreme court that the rail-
road agreement is Illegal Is only beginning
TO be realized. The managers are much
exercised over the matter and Intimate
that this public will not be benefited. bat
rather be injured b. the decision. This
Is not quite apparent. Although the gen
eral business % the country Is benefited
~ railroads being 20 managed. both az 20
expenses and rates. that they pay a fair
profit. q IL universally believed that com
petition is the life OF trade" and 1t has
passed into an aphorism. Competition
does not mean a war OF rates which drives
one or tbs competitors out Of the race.
killing competition is not competition.
Railroads must be assumed 10 know their
own business. and II bad Judgment
prompts them 10 carry freight or passen-
gers at "a rate below that at which the
business is profitable the penalty viii fall
upon the stockholders. az IL would upon
the proprietors OF any business.
There is no law which can prevent two
competing railroads from adjusting rates
50 that neither should lose. provided there
Is no evidence OF collision. Indeed. there
Is reason 10 suppose that. independent
OF any association, some railroads have
the general object In view of not running
at loss. and so harmonize their traffic
arrangements as to prevent that loss.
The sentiment against trusts and pools
ard the law which has grown out OF that
sentiment IL due not 10 rational. reason
able and moderate tarin agreement. but
10 the fragrant and notorious extortion
which has been practlsed under their
cover. The law tolerated agreements and
trusts until they forced themselves upon
public noticeby their rapacity. and aroused
a feeling which has brought the name into
odium and inspired legislatures and courts
to check their power. As they are new
creation ,he laws governing and control
ling them are new. and Jurisprudence has
becn uncertain In its utteranees. Even
the advocates OF such agreements in bush
ness have not been consistent ia their
claims or logical In their position.
Russell Sage for instance says: mo
human law can prevent the combination
of interests In social or business affairs"
Yet Mr. Sage would regard a combination
by employees for the purpose Of maintain
Ing rates Of wages as conspiracy fraught
With the greatest danger 10 the social fab
rie. Labor unions. which ara no more
than combinations Of interests in business
affairs have Unfortunately denounced
az unions Of employers. trusts and pools
as unconstitutional. although maintaining
that their own were not only legitimate
bur necessary.
The fact Is that labor unions and trusts
alike have never been molested or objected
to 80 Ions as they sept within moderate
hounds The right OF seif-proteetlon has
always been recognized. bat that right has
been TOO ogteu extended until Il became
az Invasion Of the rights Of others. Rail-
roads or other corporations have no right
to unite their strength TO crush out a rival
who either Will nsg or Is nos permitted to
enter the combine. Labor unions have no
rlght. under the broad principles OF con-
stitutionRi liberty. 10 slug the life out Of a
raan who either viii not or Is net permit
ted u enter the union. The right OF
either corporate interests or OF labor
organization to unite for purposes OF re-
slstiag the imposition OF terms which
would not sufflce 10 be reasonably profit
able. or to maintain terms which should
give either a fair return for services. are
not opposed 20 public policy or suhverslve
81 The general good II Is only when they
take advantage OF the opportunity AFFORD
ea by that combination 20 ride rough-shod
over others that the powerful arn OF jus
sice should stay thorn and protee; the
equal rights ~ those outside the organlza-
tons The RICH; Of competition Is as
sacred as the right Of organization.
When both tue employing and the en-
pleyed forces realize that any other condl-
ton than that q moderation Is sure 10 re-
sal, eventually IN Public resentment ana
inserpositlon. the sooner VIII business be-
conducted on rational lines. unions viii be-
come stronger fer good ana trusts will not
b Offenders Before the law or the weird be-
Come a synonym Tor legal.rsd robbery
These considerations Do nos pretend 20
deal vlth the legal questions raised ~ the
recent Decision. but they lie AZ the roo,
CT the matter and no law or decision will
be permanent uatil the fundamental prin-
olplss are aug ou, from the mass ef Goa
tradiotions. All late decisions have only
scratched the surface
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