The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-23
WAR PHIcEs AND rIuE rnoR.

In q recent article, "rradc and it5 Laws"
we stated that as high prices for al the neces-
saries as well as luxuIics Of life, are inevitably
incident to q state of war, It "a both unjust and
unwise to charge the Government with
result which it did not procure and cannot
prevent. The war is not likely to come TO a
speedy conclusion, if we may credit the utter
ances of MIR, JEFFERSON DAVIS and his
newspaper organs in the South, They breathe
defiance to the arms of the nation and declare
that they will not even listen to overturej of
peace, except on the condition ofindcpendence
That sort of talk may sound to some ears Ike
the rawlings Of desperation, and 1t is, no doubt
dictated in large measure by a spiIit Of
obstinacy that is much more ipspircd by
malignant passion than cool and confederate
reason.
Assuming, then, that the war may, under
any auspices, last year or two longer it be-
comes a careful and provident people toantici-
pate the ordinary Inconvenience of such
state of affairs and to make all suitable Dre-
paration to meet them with virtuous .ortitude
and to mitigate them as far as possible. Tne
question, therefore, of food and fuel for the
million becomes highly important. 1t is quite
apparent to any rejecting mind that, at the
present enormous prices Of all the essential,
indispensable articles Of universal consump-
ton, such as -four, coffee, tea, milk, sugar,
meat, and the like, vast number, perhaps 1
moety, if not majority, of the people, can
not afford to buy enough provisions to answer
the requirements of ordinary comfort, if not
nd loo Ia IA IN
one can fail to see that, with wood at thirteen
dollars cord, and coal at an equal, if not
greater cost per ton, q very large proportion
Of our population must freeze to death in the
next winter from sheer inability to purchase
wood and coal enough to keep the house
warm and cook the little food that their sen-
der means viii enable them to pay for.
What then is TO be done in so serious an
extIemity9 The man of wealth, or os easy
circumstances says he does not care about the
matter. He has money enough to get what
he wants, however prices may advance. But
we are civilized and Christian people, and
live in a community in which 10 citizen can
be allowed even if he would, to think Of bis
own private welfare and interest, in total dis
regard Of The situation of his neighbOr, OF
rather thousands Of his ieilow-townsmen and
townswomen. The comparatively few who
are well of, and who feel perfectly secur,
against the worst vicsst,Ides Of fortune, can
not, nevertheless, afford 20 wrap themselves
/ up in their selfish Independence, and take II,
1 thought OF the furnishing and freezing multi
\ tude ia whose midst they dwen. Christlanit
ID is not euly opposed to such hard and crue
Iuk fol
,t order, are equally repugnaut to it,
- The time has come when provision must b
IL; made 10 avert scenes OF bitter Distress, it nc
IN or terrible disturbance and violence, in Oh
ID, community, by ayertlng the extremes OF pc
Il sonal want and suffering. Human notur
in cultivated and disciplined as Il may be by th
Il. laws, hahts and Judicial sanctions of civ
IA society s essentially and at bottom huna
d, nature still and when the last cruel test
an starvation and death IS applied to the NOR
~ sentiment and loyal instincts Of the poo
o. we may be sure that the demands Of natul
,v win be stronger than the sense Of civic duty.
he Happily fOr US, plan has been found
.s- enable every family TO obtain fuel a. q Ia
~. much below the present market price,
d company (the Consumers Mutual Coal Con
st ponyl has been organized here to mine coal, an
r. deliver Il 20 their members or shareholders
o. what il called first COST" which means II
nv simple expense to the company OF leasing an
working the mine and delivering the coal
o. the consumer. The scheme has proved el
" tirely satisfactory in ite practical open.io
or thus far. The coal supplied Is Of the be-
as quality; it is furnished 70 each subscribe
a with al desirable certainty and promptnas.
te it is obtained at nearly one-haH Of the pric
Id that is demanded by private coaLdealera; an,
&c TO crown all, the stockholders are almost ceI
e. tain to save quite fifty per cent. in expens
le Tor the coal they receive, while having
Ie chance for a cash dividend out OF the proa
e, Of the corporation, on the surplus coal mine
ie and sold 20 the public. 40.
rs This principle Of mutual protection migt
as be applied 70 many, II not AL, the articles
IL prime necessity, such as -four sugar eoHe