Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-11-16
From Arkansas.
CLIO, ARK, Nov. IL, 1905.

the pen of Frank P. Blair, in which
he points a remedy for Rookie
fellerism. "The full, adequate
and complete remedy" he says,
sis universal public reprobation." "
On the next page of the same issue
l find: GA number of John D..
Rockefeller's neighbors called on
him September the 26th. 1t is ex-
planned that the purpose of the
call was to show that Mr.. Rookie
,feller has the affection of those
who know him WE'LL"
In view of the latter event how
long do you suppose the former
will be delayed? Methinks the
fox will as soon lose his appetite
for chicken. Among the chickens
of course we may expect "uni-
versal public reprobation," but as
to the foxes-well a word to the
wise is said to be sufficient, and of
course all REGISTER readers are
either wise or otherwise.
Competition is said to be the life
of trade. Another writer says,
"competition is war;" and Gen.
Sherman is reported to have re-
marked that ''war is hell" If we
are to accept all these statements
as true then the trade referred to
was probably the birthstone trade.
If you have any doubts on the
subject, just look over the reports
of Dunn's and Bradstreet's and
note the number of failures. Did
you ever consider that every one
of these 'failures" is a tragedy?
bringing want and misery to one
or more families. If one could
grasp the full meaning of those
figures and think of the heart
aches, the "hopes deferred that
maketh the heart sick" What a
harvest of misery is contained
therein.
Those who are forming the
trusts realize the desperate chances
taken in the competitive struggle,
and they wish to escape there
from. They know that competi-
ton is war of a most relentless
nature. There is no red cross in
that war. Hence, shrewd busi-
ness men have been, and are,
forming combinations to eliminate
competition. The only fault we
find with them is the fact that they
want combination to cease as soon
as they are safe. AS soon as their
business is protected they care not
how fierce the competition be-
tween other branches of business.
Trusts are good things for those
on the inside. Then why not form
one gigantic trust and take all the
people on the inside-let us own
the whole United States, with
every individual in possession OF
one share of stock. But, of course,
you will think that utopian until
you more thoroughly understand
the subject. There are in the Ar
cadia Valley perhaps ten well
equipped grocery stores, each OF
these must have a delivery outfit,
and these must be equipped to de-
liver goods over the entire Valley.
| will venture the assertion that
one first-class rig with a compe-
tent man in charge could conduct
the entire delivery business
Therefore the people of the Valley
support ten where one would
suffice. So, also, with the whole
mercantile business; if it was all
conducted from under one roof
and by one management, nine
tenths of the cost might be elimi-
mated.
1t is said that enough money has
already been spent in vain effort
to maintain competition between
railroad lines to house the entire
nation. The Commercial appeal be.
walls the fact that the two great
parties are going to have to con.
slider public ownership. Why
should we want to hold on to 6
system that is fast turning our fail
country into a bedlam of greed an6
graft? Can a people be free whose
lives depend on the whims of 6
few greedy capitalists? He who
owns my means of livihood owns
me. Let the nation own the trusts
F. p. HILBURN.