Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-11
ana ,arsor need for their products Of cheap

cereals ana factory BOOuo'
We shall be able to meet their call TOT
,bosa articles OF necessity which conduce
~ life and strength. Their older civiliza-
lion uiII feel the aesthetic cravings OF our
noturs for the products Of Individual care
ana eklll which machinery can never Sup
ntv The semi occasional famineS IN
china and India will become Impossible
,,hor America demands enough OF their
goods TO pay for the plenty That grows
veIlow on our praifies and whi'ehs the
fields Of the South. 49,.
But we need population before we can
keen our end of this exchange, WbiSh We
call commerce. II may DE- opJecleu ',''l -
virginia Is a state of special condltions'
b,,t rrovos &c an example fair TO all. she
hos six times the territory or New 10TH
v,itb a more genial climate and richer
soil but she has not the population "h'cn
such advantages demand. she Is idrbc'
than any country OF Europe except no
clio hut she has not a prOporuohate III
auence because she lacks popuiauon,
Where these conditions exist what shouiu
be the policy of our peopleT FaihS' ~
encourage such investments as WIZ CIV
employment TO men and women ~ ~
avarvthinu 10 secure those settlers VINO
c,n eunniv the want under which she
Ianguishes. and without which not state
In the South can take her proper pace
In the nation.
In the next place, 1 think cooperative
forces should be employed. lnstmcuVeiy
every man who comes into contact WIN
the business world feels that the forces
~ combination and cooperation govern
and control, because they give legitimate
EXPRESSION TO the tendencies or the age
and furnish the strongest expression TO
the thought and labor OF our people.
Proofs of this instructive conVcton'
which is stronger than any reason can
convey. are found I'm the fact that the
farmer who feels himself too weak 70
withstand the rivalry OF n corporation
Immediately forms u combination OF
forces in opposition. The speaker who
warns his hearers against monopoly
advises that a trust be formed 10 cor
nor nrices. and the trucker who feels that
he has been wronged by the commission
merchant "consolldates" the business OF
production and distribution by becoming
a nniddlenan on his own account ana Tor
his neighbors on every side we see the
operation of the forces OF consultations
processes are being cheapened; machihe-
nv is taking the place OF the haho' OF
aaniZation and trained thought are max
ing TWO blades Of grass grow where the
rude methods of the past could snow
only one
We are told on every side that the
country is entering upon new future
This is In obedience 90 the same tendeh-
cies which consolidate dozen ralroaus
into each OF our trunk lines, whicn tur-
nish employment and give training 10 the
organizing and executive abilities OF our
captains Of industry and leaders OF DUST
ness Certainly II is not well that great
r or
dnsfries should eat up the smaller ones
Of the same kind. but we might as wei
protest against the habits Of fish ana I'M
plore the shark to spare the mullet as 10
raise our voices against those tendencies
which mark the struggle for life IN this
dav Of competition. Manldnd viii buy the
cheapest of the quality desired. IhoSe
who cannot meet the demand must not
trade. and the manufacturer who cannot
sell his products will have TO close up
shop The force is felt, even by those
who do not recognize its universality, ana
we see farmers and dairymen obey II
themselves. while they protest against
the practice of others. The law of gravi-
tation brings a brick on the head OF the
careless stroller, but we correct the care
lessness and never think of trying TO
upset the law.
the laws of trade why may we not CON
clude that they also are the work or /
God through His creature, man, exactly |
as the Others are His, through His crea-
ture. nature? II seems cruel when we see
the norpoise drive the schools OF hsh /
into q corner and swallow them, regard
less of their protests, but the porp0lse
is obeylng the law of a good and mercitul
God. as well as the fish that tries 70
escape. Man Is also beast or prey anu
he does not disguise the fact by oenouhc-
ing the cruelty of his brothers VINO nave
not vet learned 10 cook their prey Just
as \ greater capital gives advantages over
the smaller dealer, so the corporation
dourlshes in competition with the indl-
vidual merchant, and the richer corpora
tion or trust makes profits by selling at
a prtce impossible 10 its weaker rivals.
So the great plantations Of the South
pushed the small land-holder out or busl-
ness. and the great ranches Of the West
nave driven the smaller men into bank
ruptcy.
How idle ii is then TO charge that
universal law IS the product OF present
conditions or that those sin who sue
coed under the operations or a force
we all obey? Edison and Tesla make or
the forces of nature the servants Of man,
but n the giant escapes from the bottle
not even the enchantments Of the wiz
ard himself can reclaim the strength
that has been dlssipated, 20 wander view
less through the universe. So IL IS when
parties or men or nations would break
the laws that bind them.
If the South be wise she will learn from
her bltted experience and make no at
TEMPT 10 oppose the laws Of business, /
as she once unfortunately and disas-
trously set her strength against the ten
denotes OF the age and the general opin- |
ion Of mankind. We may exact ser
vice from them as fire warns our hearths;
beyond that they rage and de-
stroy as CONGREGATIONS sweep away
cities and forests before the breath OF
their rage. The theorists OF the day in
vite US TO the conflict, but that way leads
10 ruin and death. from which we have
yet hardly escaped.
We need capital I'm the South; our sec
ton cannot do fits appointed work unless
IL be strong, and 1t cannot be strong
except by combination and healthy immi-
grafton. Let US not be deceived then,
when these conditions are followed by
the fact that the product IS called a
or q trust" Judge these |
as we do individuals by their deeds, and
condemn the bad and applaud those
whose fruits are good And then the |
money. business, and the matters OF sur
piuses and deficits should be settled. Just
as certain as the gold standard pre-
walls trusts will spring up all the time,
and values are bound 10 shrink and the |
people will become poorer. Silver should |
be like gold. coined without limit, az
some ratio upon which all can agree. and |