The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-18

4
/ independence OF freemcn. IL will either
| fall OF its own weight or be dealt with
: summariy by a mighty people moved 10
wrath II can be said In its behalf that
! n seems 10 come In response 20 trade con-
/ ditions and is 10 be attributed rather 10
mans wit I'm taking advantage OF chang
ed circumstances than to his ingenuity
I I'm himself changing them. IL may. then.
/ furthermore be said that we have but 10
await patiently the result Of the expert
ment. avoiding the possible slaughter or
| goose that lays a golden egg and prepar-
! ing to tackle II necessary, what may be-
| come demonstrated evil.
This view has been time and again pre-
scented in The Times. but we had not seen
II in any other newspaper untilswe read
tho above the other day In the columns
OF our New Haven contemporary. The
Times is by no means a fatalist We do
not believe that the nation ought TO SIT
down and let things go their own way
upon the theory that what is going 10
be will be If IT never is" 1t Is the duty
Of the thoughtful men Of the nation to
forecast and by wise action 10 prevent
evils that would come 10 pass through
neglect. We believe that It is the part OF
craftsmanship as far as possible 10 pre-
vent national evils. and we believe that
"an ounce Of prevention IS worth pound
Of cure" TO use a homely phrase.
But we are great believers in the
natural laws OF trade. As great men are
said proverblally TO arise in great emer-
genoies, so we believe that. generally
speaking. this and that business method
comes about TO meet changed conditions
in the business world. This Is a day OF
great things and everybody must admit
that corporations are necessary 10 carry
on the big enterprises Of a progressive
age. II would be impossible for any one
man TO own and operate a great railroad
system or n steamship line. or a tele-
graph system or any enterprise Of this
character. In order to do this number
Of rich men must combine their capital
that there may be sufficient money 10
carry on the extensive work. Nobody
would for a moment think OF out-lawing
or abolishing these corporations. There
was a time when a man in travelling
from New York to san Francisco would
have TO change cars half dozen times
or more: now he takes n sleeping car In
New York and does not leave it until he
arrives at the Golden Gate. The same
convenience is true Of telegraph lines
and express companies, and so on. IN
der the system of combination a man
may leave a message In a Richmond
Office with the guarantee that IL will be
sent forthwith. without any further
trouble to himself. TO any part Of the
United States. or for that matter 10 the
remotest corners of the earth. When he
puts an express package in Richmond
office that IS the last of IL so far as he
is concerned The express agent takes IL,
gives him receipt for it. and guarantees
delivery no matter what the destination
may be. These corporations. therefore,
are a public necessity and so far from
being oppressive they are public bless
ing.
There are other corporations, however.
that have alarmed a large number of
people and while there is much Of dema-
eogy from certain quarters in the cry
against trusts. many people throughout
the length and breadth Of the United
States are perfectly sincere in their belief
that the interests Of all the small men
I'm the country are in jeopardy from the |
huge combinations that are every day |
being formed For our part we are not !
alarmed and because We have undertaken !
from time to time 10 correct false state |
ments concerning the trusts and To show |
that instead OF raising the price Of COM |
modities they have actually given bet |
ter article at lower price than the world |
ever before knew. we have been dubbed |
the friend and champion Of trusts. But |
we are not deferred by this. We believe |
that this question will regulate itself. |
We believe that II the trusts are good |
things they will abide; that 81 they are |
not they will fall of their own weight
This is a free country and We American |
freemen live in an enlightened age. II is
simply out Of the question, in our opin- |
ion, that money organizations can ever
in free America trample the rights and |
liberties Of the people under foot.
-------------
If Dewey needs any points on gorgeous
uniforms he might get a few hints from
Miles.
II Croker is not careful they will con-
clude by charging him with serving en-
balmed beef at his jefferson dinner.