Атлант расправил плечи
The Top and the Bottom
SinceIholdthepursestrings,Iexpecttogetmymoney’sworthandatmypleasure."
Boyledidnotanswer;hisfacehadbecomesullen."Listen,Jim..."hebeganheavily.
Taggartsmiled."What?I’mlistening."
"Jim,youwillagree,I’msure,thatthere’snothingmoredestructivethanamonopoly."
"Yes,"saidTaggart,"ontheonehand.Ontheother,there’stheblightofunbridledcompetition."
"That’strue.That’sverytrue.Thepropercourseisalways,inmyopinion,inthemiddle.Soitis,Ithink,thedutyofsocietytosniptheextremes,nowisn’tit?"
"Yes,"saidTaggart,"itis."
"Considerthepictureintheiron-orebusiness.Thenationaloutputseemstobefallingatanungodlyrate.Itthreatenstheexistenceofthewholesteelindustry.Steelmillsareshuttingdownalloverthecountry.There’sonlyoneminingcompanythat’sluckyenoughnottobeaffectedbythegeneralconditions.Itsoutputseemstobeplentifulandalwaysavailableonschedule.Butwhogetsthebenefitofit?Nobodyexceptitsowner.Wouldyousaythatthat’sfair?"
"No,"saidTaggart,"itisn’tfair."
"Mostofusdon’townironmines.Howcanwecompetewithamanwho’sgotacorneronGod’snaturalresources?Isitanywonderthathecanalwaysdeliversteel,whilewehavetostruggleandwaitandloseourcustomersandgooutofbusiness?Isitinthepublicinteresttoletonemandestroyanentireindustry?"
"No,"saidTaggart,"itisn’t."
