The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-06
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The municipal coal.ya rd Idea rec ntIy advanced
in Boston has received an accession OF Interest
from Hayerhiii, Mass.
\ committee Of the city government OF Haver-
HILL appointed to investigate the desirabiilty of
a municipal electric lighting plant, has reported
III favor OF such measure, and recommends
further that the city buy wharf and store up
all the coal needed for the electric light plant,
and for all other public purposes. The
mittee reports that one dollar ton could thus
be saved, making saving TO the city Of $4,000
per year.
The Boston fduerttser warmly approves OF this
Idea, and recommends ii strongly as desirable
measure TO be adopted, not merely by Haverhill,
but by all other cities and towns.
Advocates OF municipal coal-yards VIII not be
slow TO Suggest, on the IdCerttser's motion, that
such good thing for our cities cannot fail to be
equally good for the citizens, and the matter Of
municipalities going into the coal business 10
the extent OF laying IN a sufficient supply and
selling to the people so as TO give small buyers
the advantage of wholesale rates is again being
urged upon public attention.
The coal question Is a serious one enough on
this Coast, but in the East II is. every winter,
urgent one. From October 10 May the people
there, rich and pOor alike, must have fires 10
make life endurable. With this necessity press
Ing him on he one hand, and a gigantic
monopoly determining on the other, the amount
of coal that shall be mined, and the prices that
shall be asked therefor, the position of the poor
man, who buys in small quantity is one OF great
hardship. 1t is estimated that, were munlclpal
cOal-yards 10 be established, furnishing this
necessity 10 citizens at cost, in small quantities
well large, the saving TO those who buy
by the ton would be, according TO summer prices,
about 20 per cent, and, according TO winter
prices, from 80 to 40 per cent. On purchases by
the hundred weight the saving would generally
equal something like one-half the prices now
paid 10 Dealers while TO the very poor who buy
by the basket, the city would thus save from
two-thirds 10 three fourths the prices they now
pay. This latter estimate seems excessive, but
In cases that have been Investigated the profit to
the dealer on ton OF coal retailed by the basket
has been shown 10 reach as high as $50 10 S23.
all OF which comes out OF the pockets OF The
very poor, who, alone, must buy In this costly
fashion.
Whether it is better for our city governments
10 help their poor by such methods a. lhis that
in reality benefit all, to assist them more
directly, by charities fOstered and maintained at
the expense Of all, is of the questions OF the
hour.
Concerning the postp0nement OF the Canadian
reciprocity negotiations Erastus Wimdn says the
subject Is one OF great magnitude and the COM
pltcations are so great that good deal OF hest
fancy is pardonabe. The first great essential OF
the negotiations, he argues, viii be the fee ad-
mission into Canada of American manufactures,
IN ADDITION 10 natural products. AT nrst glance
this seems entirely reasonable, and as Canada
gets market for her natural products as well as
her manufactures the exchange would be en-
tirely fair. Indeed 1t Is construed BY many as
more than fair as Canada would get a market
among &C, 000, 900 while she afforded one OF only
100000. But In the case Of Canada she Gu
counters great difficulty in even Offering a free
NJ -, ,v,,oI a,a 20 -, "a .,i' 81, ,.,,
OF her imports. and with whom has Il ma rl< et
To- 49,, -, en- s :. '.'" ~ y.
5"'' ~, go 81. "a mn,
-, .'Is,.'. - sno au
-, ~ 80, ~
IT, d,,tt h, 49,, - 80 ~,
late her revenue and bankrupt her finances,
already In the lowest state. Mr.. Wiman conse-
quently argues That from diplomacy much cannot
be expected III the negotiations A larger and
better OASIS Tor Intimate relations between the
TWO countries, he asserts would flow from legls
lailon. Those who LOOK with the keenest inter