The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-03
BEDlscn1M1NATioN

Because The Times is unable TO give its
approval to the many revolutionary PRO
posals that one hears from day 10 Cay
regarding trusts, numbers of persons in
sist upon CHASING it as jeten1er Ct
trusts and monopolies. In point OF 1act
Tie Times appreciates the p-bhc protest
against trusts and it will g.:.dty gle rs
So, Tort TO whatever moveM mt IS ihiended
to be q suppression of any trust that can
be shown to be in deroSation OF common
right The difficulty in the case is TO $40"
that any given combination is really in
derogailon of common right Because a
concern is very wealthy and does an
immense business, 1t does not follow mat
il is viola ting any right of any other per-
sons It may have a practical monopoly
of 6. particular Iine of business and still
that monopoly may have been acquired
by perfectly legitimate business methods
that make its monopoly just as much one
of its property rights as the ownership
of the building in which it conducts its
operations.
we have in mind very great corpora
ticn that manufactures and sells many
forms of iron and steel. This concern
owns the ore beds from which its iron Is
taken in the crude state, it owns the olasl
| furnacess which convert the crude ore
;nt,. nia. iron. il owns the coal beds that
furnish the coal used, il owns the coke
| ovens that turn that coal into COKE ii
| owns all the most modern machinery for
converting its rig iron into steel and Tor
| converting its puddied iron and steel into
| ali ttae shares required by commerce. The
res ,,t i, tina. though located Il thousand
miles away from Richmond, it can sell
| a certain article III Richmond SO low that
a Richmond concern that has been max
| ing that article is unable now to produce
| ii. Now we feel the deepest sympathy tor
this Richmond concern. But has the for
elcn concern violated any of the Richmond
concerns rights in qualifying itself 10 sell
| tbs article in Richmond so chsaply as TO
| close the Richmond establishment? HAS
it violated the rights OF any one any
wiiereY Ii is able TO make this article
| ana many other articles so cheapiy as to
get a monopoly of it's business through the
| foresight. energy and capital of its owners,
ard did they not have a natural right to
| APPLY their foresight, energy and capital
| towards requiring the elements OF the
| business that have enabled them to DON'T
| rate and control 1t?
A! We are unable to see how the state
Is to use its physical powers TO suppress
| this great concern, quasi monopoly though
it he, # the principle is still 10 prevail
| that men may do business together joint
| Iy. ana may strive with all their misat
to improve their conditions.
So that it becomes very manifest that
| a concern is not to be destroyed by the
physical power of government merely pc
! cause At has vast resources and has Sc
cured "a practical control of the line OF
! business in which it operates. Calling
! a great concern a trust does not outlaw
il ana prove it 10 be an organlzatqg
harmful 10 society. Let an alleged trust
be enquired into and proven TO be an in
st.tution founded upon principles that do
Injustice 10 other men and TIE Times will
be as ready as the reaaiest to suppress it.
But we are not to rob men of what they
have ligitimately acquired simply because
they lave prospercd greatly and have
thereby aroused the envy of others