St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-07-15
Solid Argument Against
Trusts.

Solid Argument Against :
Trusts. !.
The following strong editorial Up :
pcars in the May number Of The
Book-keeper, an illustrated monthly ;
Tor business men. It is worthy OF
consideration by all thoughtful peo-
pie: -
In defending trusts, THE Old
Man" has briefly presented the AZ
generally advanced in their
behalf. He Is plausible,. possibly
convincing 70 those have not given
the question such study and thought
IS its importance deserves. But
his logic Is on . par With that OF
the philosopher who reasoned thus:
..Food il necessary to life. Corn
is food, therefore corn is necessary
for liie." Speaking technically
this syllogism is vitiated by an un-
d,stributed middle. Corn 10 made
synonymous with the term food Is
embracing everything eaten with .
view OF sustaining life. "The O'd
Man" has his minor prentice: "A
harmonious unison OF capital and
labor produce the best results ior
the entire people OF . nation; Tor
his major premise: TRUSTS bring
a harmonious union Of capital ana
labor !" for his conclusion: There
fore trusts produce the best results
for the entire people Of the nssion."
He no more covers the entire field
to be considered than did the man
who reached theabs urd conclusion
that corn is necessary to life.
The aggressive capital outside OF
that represented 10 trusts. IS enor-
NOUS. The army OF labor unem-
ployed BY those modern loss''
tutions runs away into the millions,
made up Of men and women who
are anxious to work, but have no
opportunity. II all capital destr-
ous Of trade investments were IN
trusts and il they gave profitable
employent to oil labor seeking en-
ployment in the same line OF enter
prise. than "rhe Old Man" could
yindicate HE reasoning. A. It -,
he appefs only - . speclous
lpleader on behalf Of . minority both
il capital and labor. He does not
e champion the cause Of the entire
people, but Of favored few who e.
t.biish m autocracy Of wealth that
: he would hedge about with = defense
os,ensibly founded on both eooe
morals and good law.
f Take for granted lis claim tina
the tendency is toward adiminatior
in margin Of profits. 1t BY N
means follows that . comparatively
few men strong in the fact OF thel
wealth, ma, justly combine thu
strength in order that they ma.
!. monopolize the profits which wer'
more equitably distributed unde
!. the old system. 1t cannot be fa'ri.
I" concluded that these c0mbiners hav
! right to serve their own selns'
! purposes to say to man in business
uGet out or we will ruin you;" :
! another: "Invest nothing in on
8 field of enterprise unless you van
l. to be driven out . pauper;' 70
2. third: "Don't dare 70 sell .
. prices less than we have fixed IL
y the RETAILERS who buy OF rs or
will force you to shut your doors.
. and to all: "We're running thl
e business. Dare any attempt 70 u
ae teriere with US and we will crus
you"
,e And "rhe Old Mans talk abos
the harmonious union OF capital IN
a. labor in trusts is the veriest ro'
In thus picsurinx the lion and u
r lamb Is lying down together he N
" elects 20 tell you that tire lamb
inside of tho lion. Labor is largel
swallowed up and at the mercy
ID the trusts. They fix the -pric
IN Tbey cruelty decapitate hundre,
I. OF faithful servants ut . single stroll
=. and Without \ moments warnin'
They say to helpless labor that
must lie idle for . few months
weeks, rs the case may be, for u
t.ust wants to diminish its outp
/. in order to increase the selling pri
Is Of the commodity in winch it deal
They force thousands into involu
us ,ary idleness by driving ccnpetiti
les from The field in the many cities q
,le towns OF the country They furth
d. swell the army Of the u0employ
to by forcing those who were former
The small producers into the ranks
ing labor. Then they are In p0siti
llls to laugh, At and demand for an
The crease Of wages Of protest ut q pl
'ok posed reduction. They can poi
lar to the enforced idlers whom th
md have made and show how the VI
ch supply ON which they can draw
or clamurinx for work, even thou
lew the remuneration be only enou
ter to keep body and soul together.
the Again for the sake OF argume'
Of give 1.-THE Old Man. his way
ria. saving that trusts make the artic
ere they produce cheaper to the q
m sumner. In so far Is they do 90
vas is merely the exercise Of . disc
} . tionary policy and 1t any time vi
ur- they think the temper Of the put
I'm will permit, they can follow the
live ample Of the coal trust in EsniI
VAS lating the output % ~ 70 sdva'
the prices. They are reasonably 60
on 90 long ~ their status b und
nth mined, but il the time ever con
Dat 49, 49, 80 s~A~~AmhAA 49, 81