Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-26
BY THOMAS DIXON
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Copyright, 1911, by Thomas Dixon.
Pub. 6y Doubleday, Page & Co., N. Y.

have access to a bathroom. The death
rate of the children Is 254 in a thou
sand. 1t should be about 20 in a
thousand, if normal. 1 don't want any
higher profits out Of my customers.
If I've got to fight I'd rather fight the
trade than fight the people. / choose
the lesser evil"
But don't ask you to do evil"
You ask me to enter with you into
a criminal conspiracy to suppress free
dom of trade, and use fraud and vio-
lence If necessary to win"
Fraud and violence?" Bivens inter-
rupted, smilingly.
Certainly. What sort of merchan-
disc does the organizer of modern in
dustry bring to market? Tricks and
subterfuges in the form of printed pa
per called stocks which represent no
value. From the moment a financier
once tastes this blood he becomes a
beast. With the first fierce realization
of the fact that under modern legal
forms he can coin money out of moth
ming by binding the burdens of debt on
the backs of helpless millions, he be-
gins to laugh at the laws of man and
God"
Come, come, doctor, you must real
ize the fact that in the drug business
we are bringing order out of chaos
and at last putting the trade on a pay
ing basis"
But at what a price! You have
closed mills instead of opening them,
thrown out of work thousands, lower
ed the price paid for raw material,
bringing ruin to its producers, in
creased the price charged for your
products to the ruin of the consumer,
and saddled millions of fictitious debts
on the backs of their children yet un-
born. Combine, yes, but why not pay
the people whose wages you have sto-
len as we'll as the owners whose mills
you have closed? If combination is 50
extremely profitable, it should bring
somr benefit to the millions who are
consumers-not merely make million
aires out of few men. Who Is bear
ing the burden of this enormous in
crease of fictitious wealth? The peo-
pie. The price of living has been in
creasing steadily with the organiza-
ton of each industry into trust.
Where will it end?"
Bivens's eyes narrowed to the mer-
g taI H1hf ryh
an amused smile played about them as
he listened patiently to the doctors
trade. When at last the big figure
towering above him paused for breath.
he remarked quietly:
THE trust is here to stay, doctor.
Legislation against it is as absurd and
futile as a movement to stop the tides.
We will never pull down these big de-
partment stores or go back to the lit
tie ones. The skyscraper will not
come down from the heavens merely
because a belated traveller rails that
his view of the stars has been obscur-
ed. You cannot make economy a
crime, progress a misdemeanor or eff
cheney a felony! If so, you can de-
stroy the trusts"
Pm not clear yet how 1t is to be
DONE" was the passionate answer
but as sure as God lives we are going
to do something. The spirit of Amer
lea is progressive, up hill, not down
hill, mind you. At present we are
putting wreckers in charge of Organ
ization and famine producers in charge
of Production. 1t can't last. At no
period of the worlds history have the
claims of tyranny been so quickly seen
and in no age has tyranny confronted
such a people as ours with life and
culture and ideals as high-a people
so in love with liberty, so disciplined
in its struggles! When the day comes
that we shall be confronted with death
or degradation, the young American
will know how to choose. Patriotism
with me is not an empty word. 1t is
one Of the passions of my life. l be-
lieve in this Republic. For the moment
the people are asleep. But time is
slowly shaping the issue that will
move the last laggard. We are begin
ming dimly to see that there is some
thing more precious in our life than
the mere tonnage of national wealth.
the spirit of freedom and initiative in
our people Shall they become mere
ly the hired men of a few monied
kings? Or shall the avenues of in
dustry and individual enterprise re-
more important to grow men or make
money? Shall we transform the Re-
public into a huge money stamping
machine and turn it's freemen into
slaves who tend this machine, at the
command of a master? The people
will answer these questOns!"
Bivens gave a cynical little chuckle
Then I'm sure we'll get the wrong
answer, DOCTOR" was the response.
They will get it right bye and bye
The nation is young. You say you be-
lieve in God. Well see to it-a thou
sand years are but a day TO Him!
Among the shadows of eternity He is
laughing at your follies. Nature in hel
long, slow, patient process is always
on the side of Justice"
Bivens rose with movement of i'm
patience.
I'm sorry you can't see your way tc
listen to any proposition from me. doc
tor. I'm a practical man. | wish tc
incorporate your business into the
general organization of the American
Chemical company on terms that vii
satisfy you-"
such terms can't he made, Biv.
| ems" the doctor said impetuOusly
! Your purpose is to squeeze money
out of the people-the last dollar the
| trade will bear. That is your motto
| simply refuse. refuse To devote my
life to gouging out my neighbors' eyes
to increase the profits of my trade.
put myself in his place. the place ot
tho