Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-26

Us AOu ~ sOuA way. anu ~
You run your business TO suit yourself.
and I'll do the same. The worlds big.
enough for us both
That's just the troubl9." Bivens in
terrupted lit isn't We are entering
new era of combination. merger. CO.
operation"
Compulsory cooperation" the doc
tor laughed
TT may be so at last" the little man
said soberly Certainly the old idea
of competition is played out We no
longer believe that business men
should try to cut each others throats."
''Oh. seer" sneered the doctor.
"They should get together. corral their
customers and cut their throats."
You must recognize the fact that the
drug trade is a business enterprise, not
a charity organization"
Even so. still | happen TO know that
within a stones throw Of my store
swarms a population OF a quarter of
million human beings so poor that onC
300 OF them ever have access to a BATH
room. You ask me to enter with you
into a criminal conspiracy to suppress
freedom of trade and use fraud and
violence If necessary TO VIM
Fraud and violence?' Bivens inter
rupted, smilingly.
Certainly. What sort OF merchandise
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 fnancier
once tastes this blood he becomes a
| beast"
Come come. doctor. you must real
lie 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, increas-
ed the price charged for your products
TO the ruin OF the consumer, and sad
| died millions of fictitious debts on the
backs Of their children yet unborn.
| The price OF living has been increas-
ing steadily with the organization of
each industry into a trust Where will
it endT"
Bivens' eyes narrowed to the merest
points of concentrated light, while an
amused smile played about them.
The trust is hrre TO stay, doctor.
Legislation against 1t is as absurd and
futile as movement to stop the tides
| Won 10
progress a misdemeanor. or efficiency
felony! If so. you can destroy the
trusts"
I'm not clear yet how it is to be
DONE" was the passionate answer,
but as sure as God lives we are going
to do something. At present we are
putting wreckers in charge of organ
ization and famine producers in charge
of production. 1t can't last. | believe
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 beginning dimly
to see that there is something more
precious in our life than the mere
tonnage of national wealth-the spirit
Of freedom and initiative in our peo
pie. Shall they become merely the
hired men of few moneyed kings? Or
shall the avenues of industry and in
dividual enterprise remain open tC
their children? The people will answer
these Questionsr'
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 by and by
The nation is young. lou say you be
lieve in God. Well. see to tia thou
sand years are but a day to him
Among the shadows of eternity he /:
laughing at your follies. Nature in heI
long. slow. patient process is always or
the side of justice"
Bivens rose with movement of i'm
patience.
I'm sorry you can't see your way
to listen TO any proposition from me
doctor. I'm a practical man. | wisl
to incorporate your business into tn,
general organization of the American
Chemical company on terms that viii
satisfy you
such terms can't be made. Bivens.
the doctor said impetuously. You
purpose is to squeeze money out of thu
peOple-the last dollar the trade will
bear. That is your motto l simply re
fuse. To you the city Is merely a BIZ
flock of sheep to be sheared. while L
me its myriad sounds are the music o
divine oratorio, throbbing with tear
and winged with laughter. | call tn
people my neighbors-these hurryin
throngs who pass me daily. Becaus
they are my neighbors they are m
friends. Their rights are sacred. | vii
not rob, MAIN or kill them, and Wi
defend them against those who would.
Bivens merely shrugged his shou
ders and answered in measured. care
full tones:
, Then l suppose I'll have to fgh
you whether | wish 1t or nOt!'
Yes, and you knew that before 20
.. came here tonight You have hear
, that l am beginning a suit for dan
ages against your company
Biyens laughed in spite Of himsel
bit his lips and looked at the doctor.
, 81 assure you | had heard nothing c
such a suit. and now that | have
does not even interest me-"
Then may l ask the real reason fC