New-York tribune., 1873-01-16
TIE COIL QUESTION.

which we give on another page, throws much
needed light on the Coal question. We
accept without reserve his assurance that
the great Company which he rep
resents intends to use no cOercive
measures in regard to the independ-
ent colery-owners. We have found the
tenor of our dispatch confirmed in different
quarters and we observe that meeting was
actually held in Philadelphia, on the 18th
inst, of leading coal operators from the Schuyl-
kill region, who are opposed to the measures OF
the Reading Companies and apprehensive OF
the undue use of their power. 1t is essential,
also, to the just comprehension of our dispatch,
to bear in mind that coercion assumes some
times very occult forms. The Govern
ment clerk who is "inyited" to sub
scribe to the political fund is not
apparently "coerced :" still he knows very
well that unless he pays his quota he will be
speedily removed on one pretext or another.
The individual operators cannot very well
see without alarm the Reading Railroad
Company avOw in its recent report that
the Reading Coal Company controls
"over $4,000 acres of anthracite coal lands, upon
(which are 9S colleries; :" that the tunnage of
these last year was 3,OSO,S8O tuns; and that
"s11 100000 bonds employed for the purchase of
"these lands were guaranteed by the Railroad
COMPANY Ii seems another step toward that
combination of the railroad and mining inter-
ests which has led to so many abuses already
in Pennsylvania, and places manufacturers
at the mercy of great corporations. Never
theless, President Gowen is master of
the situation and when he declares that he
intends to treat all producers alike we accept
his promise as conclusive and as a triumph
for the principle of free locomotion. Burns
SAYS, "When self the wavering balance
"shakes, it's seldom right adjusted;" but this
may not apply to a Pennsylvania Railroad
Coal Company.
Regarding the innovation which the Read
ing Coal Company has introduced in Phila-
delphia of selling coal by retail, we have
nothing to say by way of disapproval 1t has
always been the policy of this journal to favor
direct trade between the producer and con-
sumer. 1t was one of the strongest arguments
of its founder in favor Of Protection that by
creating and diffusing home manufactures
it reduced the number of non-producers
and increased the reward of labor.
"In my conception" he wrote, I" the chief
" end of a true Political Economy is the con-
aversion of idlers and useless changers or
" "traffckers into habitual, effective producers
8" of wealth. IL community, whereof one
I" half live by vOcations which add nothing to
| " its aggregate of useful products, can be so
organized, so transformed, that the proportion
" of its non producers shall be reduced one
"fourtb, Its wealth, comfort, intelligence, re-
" finement, can hardly fail (other things
"being equaD to be essentially increased by
the change; If the proportion OF non-pro-
ducers could thus be reduced to one-eighth,
" the resulting benefit would be doubled.
" And one of the chief waste-gates Of human
" effort is that afforded by the consumption of
q time and energies in the transportation
acrSss oceans and continents of staples or
fabrics which might as easily-that
dc with little or no more labor
have been produced in the region
where they are required and consumed"
If the Reading Coal Company, though partly
impelled by self interest, acts o the principles
thus enunciated, we shall regard it, system oI
direct traffic without alarm or regret
Our sole object in pursuing this matter, al
giving impartially the views Of each side of
the controversy, is the interest of consumers
If by the use of legitimate means the people
Of philadelphia are supplied permanently with
coal at cheaper rate than heretofore, we
shall cordially support any one who
may be the instrument Of that great
boon. We sympathize with the re-
taller who has hitherto followed his
calling honorsbly at seeing his business
deranged, but We cannot regard his immediate
interests as paramount to those of the entire
community. Cheap coal is essential to the
progress Of our industries-to the comfort of
our people; and when we see the effects of
comparative dearness and scarcity in England,
we cannot but feel pleased at the purpose
which the President Of o great corporation