Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYBODY.

| L
the restriction proposed was adopted the
industrious and respectable poor would shuI
il rs they would plague. Let every c1t1zeT
| who has the money to buy small or large
quantity be treated just alike in this matter
The scheme was proposed for all the people
and not Tor any few of the people. A munlcf
pal coalyard tor all or none is the ground we
stand on.
That is the theme running through all the
discussion that has followed the introduc
tion of this plan to the public attention
cheaper coal for everybody, and that end at
tanned by the reduction of expenses Of han
ding and the pbliteration of individual
dealers profits
But the scheme goes further than that
even. There is large-sized African in the
woodpile, but as yet he has not poked his
woolly head out into sight. The National
lists are not in the business of philanthropy
for the fun of the thing. In the abstract
they do not much care whether the single
individual gets his coal % cents ton
cheaper or not, be that individual Edward
Bellamy or plain Smith or Mccarthy. 1t
may be we'll enough perhaps to show the
people of Boston that they can save 81 ,000,-
600 year in the cost of coal, but it is much
more to the point to show them that this
can be done by having the State or the
municipality run the business. Success in
that line would be the biggest kind of an
object lesson of the practicabpity and the
advantages of nationalism pure and simple.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOVEMENT.
This, then, is the first attempt that has
been made to put into practical working
shape the extreme Nationalist theories that
the Government should take care of the
individual. In the cases of municipal
lighting and water works each community
simply produces for itself and its individual
members-that is, the interests served are
those of a collection of individuals. In the
coal yard scheme it is the individual alone
who is considered and not the community
at all 1t is an example absolutely OF
/ paternalism of government to the lndlyl-
dual in his individual capacity and not to
him as q component part Of community.
Therein lies the real significance of the
movement. Once let the principle be estab-
| lished that the government in this case the
| city) can safely be the medium of supply,
and there is no limit to which the scheme
may not be logically carried. If coal can
thus be distributed, why not beans and
beer, shirts and sugar; in fact, why not
hasten with rapid steps toward the realiza-
tion of Bellamy's Leoren?
= Familiarize the people with the benefits
to be derived from this condition of things,
say the reformers, and then they will be
ready to follow us further when we point
out to them other paths of pleasure and
profit. They believe that in the coal yards
they are planting the seeds for tremen-
dous economic and social revolution.
Nor are these general results all that are
expected or aimed at. As direct outcome
of the new scheme, if it shall prove to be
successful, the Government control of rail-
roads and mines is looked for; indeed, that
is really part of the plan, although it is not
publicly acknowledged and has not yet
been fully elaborated. The men at the
head of the new movement are inclined to
move slow. They realize that the coal bus
mess is about all they can undertake at the
outset, and that if they hope to get that in
as an entering wedge they must not preju-
dice the public against them by exploiting
other issues too soon.
WHAT Is LOOKED FORWARD TO.
But the steps to this end have already
been clearly laid down by the reformers.
They do not expect that their coal yards
will be able to sell coal at great reduction
from current prices. But as soon as these
institutions have been firmly established
and are demonstrating thst the price of coal
must be high anyway, there will be investi-
cations set on foot to find out why it is that
coal must cost so much Statistics concern
IuS Vic COst VI wages, COsL
of transportation, specializing, watered rail-
road stock, etc., will be collected. 1t will
be shown to the people that their coal yards
cannot sell their coal at reasonable figures
because of the extortion of coal barons and
railroad monopolists. Then will naturally
come the demand for the Government to
take control of the railroads and mines in
the interests of the people.
A hint of what is looked forward to was
dropped in an interview by one of the
active Nationalists the other day. He said:
Is it not astounding and incomprehensible
that the people will allow few men to meet
and raise or lower the price of fuel, without
regard to the necessities of the country, and
without any heed being given to the cost of
production, transportation or distribution.
The city may nnd 1t impossible to purchase
coal at the proper figure from mine owners
and operators. In fact, more THAI expect
that such will be the case. 1t is, 1 believe,
not possible for a man or party outside of
the combination to purchase coal at the
present time. OF course this ring will make
titanic fight to defeat the objects of a
municipal coal yard. The coal barons have
matters pretty well fixed at the present
time, and we do not expect that they will
refrain from eXtorting undue profits from
the people, just because the Nationalists and
labor reformers say that they must We
are, however. prepared for this emergency.
and if necessary we shall go to Congress and
before the United States Supreme Court.
NOT CONFINED TO BOSTON ALONE.
1t must not be overlooked that the idea is
not confined to this city. The petition to
the City Council here was put forward as
feeler, and it has accomplished the real
purpose of its sponsors in precipitating a
public agitation of the question and in
interesting other parts of the State. Already
in the cities of Haverhill and Lynn the
enterprise is being pushed, while the matter
will be brought to the attention of other
municipalities during the next two months
or so.
Now the reforners do not expect favora-
BILE action upon their petitions by the city
authorities, either here in Boston or else
where, and, in fact, they would be rather
disappointed at that outcome of the affair,
They want grievance, not a remedy. 1t
would stand for little to have their princi-
piles, as represented in the coal-yard plan,
approved by a few municipalities: to have
them indorsed by the State in a legislative
enactment would mean a great deal, and
they frankly acknowledge that that Is what
they are after. So we are having a fiery
campaign for cheap coal in the middle of
the summer in order that public interest in
the subject may be thoroughly worked I'D
before the political campaign opens in the
autumn.
FICTIoN-Emms v. Sheridan's story,
"Freda Sonaday," now running in the sum
day issue of THE DISPATCH. Two charm
ing chapters tomorrow.