The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-05-16
-set.if the thInE were posslplel

-yetif the thing were possiDieI
One evening he made up his mind to
go at once and fight for his old place
beside her on any terms she would
grant He seized his hat and opened
the door. To his amazement Bivens
was leisurely ascending the steps.
Stuart stepped into the parlor and sat
down with resignation to await his
entrance.
To his amazement he heard the maid
say:
This way. sir. Dr. Woodman asks
you to wait for him in the library"
So Bivens was calling on his arch
enemy by appointment. Stuart replac-
ed his hat on the rack and returned to
his room, determined to await the out
come of this extraordinary visit
On DR.. Woodman's entrance Bivens
rose to greet him with unusual anima,
ton and unmistakable good will
When the doctor grasped the out
stretched hand more striking con-
trast could scarcely be imagined-the
one big. bluff, jovial, sunny, powerful
and straight of figure as he was al.
ways straight in speech and manners.
the tinancier small and weak In body,
his movements sinuous. flexible, with
eyes that never looked at the man he
was talking to, yet always seemed to
be taking in everything in the room.
well. Bivens, what can | do for
your | understand from your note
that the matter Is important"
"Of the gravest Importance to us
both, DOCTOR" he answered, with a
smile. For peculiar personal reason
want us to get together and settle our
differences"
Are there any differences between
us2 You go your way, and | go mine
You run your business to suit yourself,
and III do the same. The worlds big
enough for US BOTH
That's just the trouble" Bivens in.
terrupted. at isn't. We are entering a
new era of combination, merger. co
operation"
Compulsory co-operadonw the doc.
tor laughed.
at 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. I see" sneered the doctor
''They should get together, corral their
customers and cut their throats."
"You must recognize the fact that the
drug trade is business enterprise, not
a charity organization"
Even so, still I happen to know that
within stones throw of my store
swarms population Of a quarter of
million human beings so poor that only
300 of them ever have access to bath.
room. You ask me to enter with you
into criminal conspiracy to suppress
freedom Of trade and use fraud and
violence II necessary to VIM
Fraud and violencsT Bivens inter.
rupted, smilingly.
Certainly. What sort of merchandise
does the organizer Of modern In.
dustry bring to market2 Tricks and
Subterfugea 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
beastS
'-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 pay.
ing basis"
"But at what pricel You have
closed mills instead of opening them,
thrown out of work thousands. lower
ed the prioe paid for raw material.
bringing ruin TO its producers, increas-
ed the price charged for your products
to the ruin Of the consumer, and sod
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 trust Where will
it endr'
Bivens' eyes narrowed to the merest
points OF concentrated light, while an
amused smile played about them.
"The trust is here to stay, doctor.
Legislation against it is as absurd and
futile as a movement to stop the tides
You cannot make economy a crime
progress a misdemeanor, or efficiency
felony! If so, you can destroy the
trusts"
Continued in Tuesdays Issue.)
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