The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-27
THE COAL FAMINE THREATENING.

From the N. Y.Herdld.
The conspiracy on the part of the Penusyl-
vania railroads and the coal mining compa-
MES still holds its own. The prices have
not actually increased in this city, because
the wholesale dealers are frightened at the
popular indignation which is directed against
the conspirators. 1t is estimated that only
about four days supply for the consumption
OF the great mass of the people is on hand,
and when that is exhausted the coal famine
is upon us with all its severity, and the
rugged month is before us. The compro-
mise offered by the operators, at the meet
ing in Philadelphia, to the Miners Associa-
ton for the resumption of work upon
what they call the $3.50 basis, is
despotic measure, which the men have yet
shown no disposition to accept, and which is
probably thrown out by the operators with
the hope that they would not accept it. Their
aim is to throw all the odium of this consp-
racy upon the miners themselves; but in
truth it lies altogether between the coal
carrying companies and the operators, who
after all, are one and the same thing. 1t has
occurred heretofore, no doubt, that 'strikes"
have been made at the instigation of the
owners in order to enhance the price of coal
but the operators have long been opposed to
the system of paying wages according to
the "price basis, and having the strikers
in their power at this time, owing to
the exhaustion of the long winter strike,
have now determined to fight for the
abolishment of the system altogether. This
they are doing in connection with the despotic
railroad monopolies, which they own. The
result is that the strikers cannot resume work
with the hope of any reasonable wages, aud
thus coal famine, as rigorous as the provi-
sion famine in besieged Paris, is threatening
this city and the other great cities of tbs
Eastern seaboard. Indeed, the encircling
lines of King William could not keep bread
out of the city of Paris more completely than
the conspiracy of coal operators threatens to
keep coal out of this city; and Paris, with her
few days of preliminary provisioning in anti
cipation of the siege, was far better prepared
for scarcity of the one than we are for a
scarcity of the other.
There must come a time when we are to
be well rid of these lood-sucking corpora
tions, and now is the best time. A mon
archical or despotic government would have
obhterated them at once; but in our country,
and under our system, we must follow the
regular routine of the law in all emergencies.
Congress has already taken up the case, and
motion was made in the House on Friday
to repeal the import duty on Nova Scotia
coal. OF course some soulIess PENNSYLVANIA
protectionist objeeted, and the measure had
to go over under the rules. But it will be
or ought to be pressed until it is made a
law. There should be indignation meetings
held in this city and in Philadelphia and
Boston and all the cities affected by the
grinding tyranny of these Pennsylyauia cor
porations, to urge immediate and decisive
action upon Congress. The unscrupulous
monopolists who think TO play upon the
winter needs of the poor and to grind their
own employees for the gain of few thousand
dollars mnst find that their "yaulting ambi-
tion has o'erleaped itself, and that their in.
ordinate demands have proven their ruin.
! The reopening of free trade in coal will dc