Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1906-09-05

Much Of the iniquity perpetrated

III lne name OF business, such as dis
elimination in transportation rates.
the adulteration of foods and various
tricks of deception by which one tries
to get the better Of another in the
strife for profit, is attributed to the
eXigencies OF competition. One I'M
scrupulous concern seeks an unlaw-
full advantage in some deal" with a
railroad, and others feel bound to do
the same in order to escape being
~dlstanced in competition. When ne
railroad under this kind of solicita-
ton grants special rates, pays re-
bates or otherwise favors a large
shipper, rival lines feel impelled to
make similar concessions in order to
secure their share of the traffic. The
result is a competition in dishonesty
or laWlessness on the part of both
shippers and common carriers. De-
fects of the law were no excuse for
such disregard of justice and honor
able conduct. But now the law has
been made explicit, so far as inter-
state commerce is concerned, and
practices for which stress of compe-
tltlon h@~ been pleaded as an excuse
or extenuation are made criminal for
all concerned in them.
The obvious policy for railroads
and for shippers who desire 10 be
fair and decent now is to abandon all
devices of evasion and enter into a
competition for the observance of
the law and Of tie principles of COM
mon honesty in their dealings. If
managers Of one railroad line have
evidence that another is granting
illegal concessions or favors, it is
their duty to disclose the evidence,
to expose the wrong-doing and aid
Il ~authoritie~ to put q stop to it,
instead of trying to get even, or more
than even, by committing the same
offences. If one shipper finds that
another is getting any advantage
over him in charges for tr~ansporta-
ton, instead OF seeking to meet this
by obtaining a like advantage, he
should make complaint of the viola
ton and help to compel the observ-
ance Of the law. Let there be COM
petition in doing justice and in fair
dealing, and these evils which have
caused SO much agitation and occa-
stoned SO much "hostile legislation"
hostile only to those who persist in
Wrongdoing-will come to an end,
and it will be far better for all con-
cerned.
In the matter OF providing the
supplies of food, drink and medicine
for the people, there is still a freer
field for competition in individual
hon j, ard it is n in which hon
esty will prove to be the best policy
from a business point Of view. Let
a meat-packing house be made q
model of cleanliness and sound SAM
tary condition; let it take pains to
use only unquestionably wholesome
materials and methods; let it make
no concealment and avoid no pub
licity SO far as knowledge of the
character and quality Of it's products
is concerned: let its labels and repre-
sensations of what it puts upon the
market bear the closest scrutiny, and
1t may acquire a reputation that will
be worth more than all the tricks and
devices which have been resorted to
in the past, and the detection and ex-
p1slre of which is liable at any time
to- sweep away the illegitimate gains
CT deception and fraud. Even if less
wealth should be accumulated, it
would be without the faint of igno-
1niny and public contempt, and some
reward should be found in an hon
orable business reputation and pub
lie respect. This applies equally to
the manufacturers of the various
kinds of prepared and preserved
foods, the production of which has
grown so enormously in recent years,
That the bulk of these are whole
some may be admitted, but in that
case there is no legitimate reason
for secrecy about the ingredients that
enter into them or the methods of
their preparation, any 0 than
about raising corn Or making cloth.
Secrecy and ~enigmatlcal names are a
cover for a~dulteration, the use of in
ferior or injurious material, or some
device involving deception or fraud
by which illesitimate profit is sought.
Honest p%urveyocs Of food and the
various accomplishments of food
have been wont to complain that a
few INSCRIPTIONS persons may cheap
en-, aduiterate and variously sophisti-
cate and m~isrepresent their products
SO that it becomes impossible to COM
pete with them without in some
measure yielding to their methods.
Many who would prefer to deal in an
honest and above-board fashion feel
compelled to vitiate their products,
and traders feel compelled to sell
articles which they know are not
what they pretend to be, in order to
keep up their trade and make a fair
profit in competition with unscrupu-
1ous rivals. So is business made dis
honest and d4sreputable by a rivalry
that denloralizes competition, making
it g competition in dishonesty. Let
honest manufacturers and dealers
make common cause with nsum
for effective laws and efficient ad-
ministration against the secrecy ard
deception and all the devices of fraud