New-York tribune., 1899-10-28
COMBINATIONS OF VARIOUS KINDS.

An organization of farmers In this State for
the avowed purpose Of controlling the prices OF
their products IS not exactly new thing. Sim
liar efforts have been made on large scale at
the West though not anywhere with conspcu-
GUS success But II is mainly question or
management. and II men can be found broad
enough and intelligent enough to run farmers
alliance as some combinations In manufacturing
and trade are run 1t will be Of great service to
the farmers IN two ways II will help their
business and Il will lead them 70 understand
the absolute right of other producers to agree
among themselves as 10 the prices at which
they Will sell SO one Of the trades unions,
having been instructed to investigate the to-
bacco combination, reported that 1t had proved
beneficial TO the hands employed, and no action
adverse to il was recommended. The combina
tons avowcdly for the purpose of advancing
the wages of labor could not conveniently throw
stones at a combination for the purpose of sus
tanning prices Of the products Of their labor.
There will be good many lessons OF the same
sort before another year has passed. It will
probably be discovered by many labor organiza
tons that they have practically no chance at all
TO secure better wages from employers who are
forcing each other to squeeze the last cent they
better chance where the employers have allied
themselves TO secure a living price for their
products Investigation will follow, and the
labor unions will learn how extensively wages
have been advanced by industrial combinations
in many cases on their own motion. 1t VIII not
be found convenient for combinations Of work
ers In the selling of their labor 10 find fault with
combinations of employers in the selling of their
T,of,lt ltVuft ftofaf pnTl.
slider always the public interest, and not TO ad
vance either wages or prices beyond reason
But the workers Will hardly claim that they
only should be trusted to discharge their duty in
that respect. The same inexorable laws OF trade
restrict both. Products cannot be advanced too
far without cutting off the demand for them
nor can wages he advanced too far without
checking the demand for labor The farmers
| will find the same restrictions. Such combina-
tons of them as have heretofore attempted 10
fix prices just as If they alone could settle the
matter, have come to grief Many thousand
farmers have learned from these experiments
that the producer only ruin himself If he
pushes his demands beyond the views Of con-
sumers. and Is in danger OF being wrongly in
| formed II he judges of future needs for con
sumption from one sided and interested state
| uleUlS. nut iIdN - Ju0A W nat iH' 'vulbiulli5
manufacturers have TO learn also. II any one
Of the new industrial corporations sets It's prices
So high that il cuts of part Of the consuming
demand ii not only Kills profits but sows the
seed Of deadly competition.
The farmers. workingmen and manufacturers
all have The same right 10 decide al what price
they Will sell their labor or products. They all
have the same right 10 confer, and If possible to
agree. with as many rivals as they can. In the
long run It is for the good of all the people that
every industry should prosper and should not he
prosfrated by excessive competition. II com
| mand of larger capital is needed 10 enable the
| farmer or the manufacturer to secure good re-
suits. each has just much right as the other
to obtain that advantage If he can. If concert
Of action enables producers to avoid wasteful
overproducton. that will equally serve in agri-
culture and In manufactures and will give the
| hands employed more steady work and wages.
Thus men come TO learn that they must Judge