18 THE SUN. 



THE PROFIT MAKING SYSTEM. 



We here pass the tariff monopoly of 43 per cent., corners on 

 coal, corn, pork, wheat, sugar, oil and the staples; on transpor- 

 tation, telegraphy, patent rights, &c., to speak of profit making 

 as a system. It is enough to know that society cannot specu- 

 late off from itself. If one charges his neighbor something 

 for nothing, it comes back to him again in a circle. Profit 

 thus abolishes profit. While each one gains nothing, all lose. 

 But under the cost system, while none lose, all indirectly gain. 

 Count then the waste under profit. If there is room for but one 

 lealer, he makes a monoj^oly. Soon there gets to be two, when 

 they have to raise prices. A third comes, and they form a 

 'pool', a fourth causes bankruptcy. Every city directory now 

 illustrates this state of affairs. Moreover, note the cost in dis- 

 play, rent and advertising. The consumer pays all the bills.' 



But, greatest of all, is the, demoralization attending profit. 

 Under cost, the interests of buyer and seller are identical, 

 under profit, antagonistic. One has one price, the measure of 

 justice, the other has many, measuring the gullibility of its 

 customers. One serves, the other trades. Trader, traitor 

 and traducer all come from the same word. Robbery, once 

 the respectable profession of pirates and freebooters, is now 

 the pastime of bulls and bears. Secrecy, deception, lying, 

 cunning, 'tricks of trade,' 'shop-made goods,' adulterations, 

 overproduction, failures, strikes, panics, lawsuits, wars, all are 

 begotten by the profit making system. 



TIOLA TTONS OF LIBERTY. 



MAJORITY RULE 



BY majority rule, we do not mean a majority vote, which 

 selects between two necessary evils, for nobody's liberty .is 

 thereby infringed. We mean the coercive power of numbers, 

 indeed, a mere comparison of numbers, for Avhat constitutes a 

 majority in one place or at one time is a minority at another 

 place and time. The same number that it takes to elect one 



