The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-20
FRIDAY. JANUARY 20. 1889.
THE BRUNSWICK GAZETTE ON
TRUSTS.

The Gazette OF LaWI'"''
svic< county. s. one OF our Virginia ho"'
,,aners that is always ready 10 olS00''
q question with those who oluer i'o'"
:, ,non its merits. IL is pleasure 10
.-g,e a question with IL. 70 diners VII"
~ Times i'm regard 90 the industrial
combinations that We call TRUSTS '''
!, does rot therefore. accuse Inc ll"eS
~ violating every injunction oil 'ie
decalogue. Il examines The Times Pos'-
-. ard states the reasons why it can
not assent 20 them.
In recent issue it goes over the sub
s.ct very deliberately and invites the re-
nIv Of The Times 10 what 1t says II
commence by asking II there is anything
a, connection with their history to war
ran, the belief that they were called in'o
he,ne nv business necessity rather than
.,orsonal greed? We cut of all discus
sion at this point by conceding all 'ha'
our neighbor claims. IL was indohpieu'y
The lust Of gain that called them mo
n.istence. We don't know what our
friend may think of it, but we think the
tr-, of gain is az the bottom OF all sue
,essf,l business. business has nothing
eleemosynary iu II. Just as soon as that
element enters into it the business usuailS
fails. II is the business that IS conduct
Cd by an eager desire for pront thaI is
,re one that succeeds. We would state
,be case thus. therefore Men found
they could not make profits without ln-
austrial combinations and they therefore
,esorted TO industrial combinations. In
This sense. therefore personal sreeu
WAS at the bottom Of industrial comblna-
,ions. But the case is not fully stated
when this is said. II must oe added 'ha'
progress and civilization depend upon
active business. that desire for gain IS at
the bottom GA an successful business and
chat there cannot be gain under present
conditions without industrial comnina-
lions. Therefore our progress and our
civilization depend upon the industrial
combination.
But our friend denies our term IN this
proposition He says the saw IS as old as
the hills that competition IS the lie OF
trade" and that tine business which the
progress and prosperity Of the world
rests upon IS that which turns upon com
petition
We reply 20 this that the survival Of
his old saw IS q peculiar illustration OF
how maxims outliYe the conditions for
which they were framed. Under modern
conditions. IL IS just as true that com
&C. .I..ff 900 oil
was that 1t was the life Of trade. Take
the case OF two steam railroads between
Richmond and Petersburg. There Is not
travel enough TO sustain both and each
would therefore compete with the other
for what there was. This competition
would necessarily destroy one OF them
unless they mode combination by
which an equitable division was made
Here IS a case therefore. where compe-
tition would be the death Of trade
Steam and electricity have brought al
parts Of tho world into such immediate
touch that the business man In Rich
fnond can compete upon equal terms viii
the business man IN san Francisco for his
local trade. The result IS, that Will
steam and electricity an men are
brought into such immediate touch tha
competition has come 20 De what
would be in the case OF the two rail
roads between Richmond and Petersburg
and u was found necessary TO resort q
she combination that would divide th
business out equitably or to have th
whole world cutting its own throat
The Gazette asks as 20 deal speclall'
with the case Of the american Tobacc
Company. saying that so lar as manu-
facturers Of tobacco were concerned the
were entirely satisG with old condition
and that 81 would like us % show ho'
the trust has benefited producers OF 60
bacco-the planters. AS FOR tho manu-
facturers We must remind our neighbo
that they amounted TO the most inhni
tesimal fraction OF tho human race an
that II IS with the rights Of man we AT
dealing and not with the interests Of
pstty eiess Mankind wants tobacc
cheap ana tie political economist take
the side Of mankind IN a controversy b
tween Il and thousand tobacco manu-
fsctursrs. AS for the farmers. they ar