The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-04-19

arbitrary assessment of $25 on each re-
taller, and the remainder Of the price of
maintaining. which, with its parapher-
MALTA Of detectives and bnll-dozers, is
borne equally by the shippers and whole
salers. John }. Rhodes, who is now
under arrest for perjury in connection
with this investigation. is the manager
of this bureau, and is paid salary of
5000 year.
ms present bureau of statistics ap-
pears to have been organized on the 1st
of May, 1892. end Is the successor of the
Minnesota Anthracite Coal association,
and the business of the so-called bureau
is to take care that the price agreed
upon by the wholesalers at their month
ly conferences are rigidly maintained
by the retailers, and to see that pen
atty is visited upon any retailer who is
found to have departed from the sched
ule or fixed price. said penalty being to
cut off the supply of coal until the Of
Tense is condoned or Manager Rhodes
issues his pardon.
''shut His supply Of Coal OFF,
AS evidence of the mandatory char
acter of the orders issued by Mr..
Rhodes, we incorporate letter adj
dressed to the Lehigh Coal and Iron
company, Minneapolis, on the 18th of
OcbOUcf, 1919. DIS iOllOWS.
"Gentlemen: Some time ago ascer-
tanned that one l.. w. Petran, No. 243
Third avenue north. your city. was get
ting coal of certain company in Min.
neapolis. gave them notice that he
was not subscriber to this bureau. and
they shut him off. Within few days |
have been informed that he has been
getting more or less coal from your
firm. Will you please investigate the
matter. and get him to become a su b.
scriber to this bureau. or shut his sup
ply of coal off. Yours respectfully,
JOHN }. RHODES, Manager"
The committee found that Mr.. Petran
promptly became a subscriber. From
the facts given you, you will observe
that the retailer has no voice whatever
in making the monthly schedule of
prices in these cities, but is held 10 the
strictest accountability for even the
slightest departure therefrom; to illus
trate. one John Norton. respectable
retailer. located in the city of Mnneap-
oils, made proposal to furnish the
board of correction and charities in the
city of Minneapolis, with coal at 1854
per ton, and the schedule price
was 1886. and he was awarded
the contract. but the company or
wholesaler from whom he had
previously purchased his supply abso
lutely refused to furnish HIM with coal
to fill the order. or. in fact, any coal
whatsoever, on the pretext that its sup
safely do so; and Mr.. Norton was
Obliged to procure his coal for his legiti-
mate business for the space of about a
month through the agency of third
party, friend of his. but was later re-
instated by some action Of the whole
salers at a monthly meeting. but only
after he had made apologies and prom
eS for better conduct in the future,
ETC., and he again obtained supply of
coal.
1t Was a Combine.
The Minnesota Anthracite Coal asso-
citation, the predecessor of the present
Bureau of Coal Statistics, was an insti-
tuition formed for the same purpose, but
operated upon different plan, viz: To
maintain and enforce unferm price in
coal to the consumer by system of
fines deducted from guaranty fund for
departure, deposited with the chair
man Of the association.
Your committee has caused the ar
rest of said Rhodes for perjury, and
has also submitted the attorney gem
eral of the state portions of the teSti-
mony taken by 1t, with view OF fur
Their prosecutions, both for perjury and
conspiracy, under the laws of the state.
You are aware of the successive steps
taken by your committee. not only to
secure evidence against these con-
spirators, but to retain the same after it
had been secured. We believe that your
committee has acted strictly in accord
ance with parliamentary usages as con-
strued by the best writer's on parlla-
mentary law and practice, and if there
were no precedent for the action of
your committee, in view Of all the cir
cumStances. the committee still believe
that the time has come when a
new milestone along the path of prog
ress should be established, and the en-
tire people, not only OF this community,
but of the entire country, after care
full survey OF the situation as it con-
frOnted your committee. has Endorsed
and commended our action. 1t would
be strange state of affairs if commit
tee appointed to Investigate, who being
aware Of the existence, and in fact
were, in view of the very evidence
Itself, could not seize it for the pun pose
OF inspecting it,.
Your are cOgnizant of the numerous
measures introduced from time to time
by either the committee or its members,
and become laWS-meaSureS which we
believe will afford much relief to the
people.
We take this opportunity in thanking
you most cordially for the hearty man
ner in which you have sustained us in
our every effort to rid our state of this
most perniciouS and outrageous com
bination which has done so much to
blight the industries of this state and to
impoverlsh It's people.
Down with Exorbitant Tariffs.
Your committee have had the matteg
of railroad tariffs on coal i'll this state
under consider alton and would recon-
that the attention of the board of rail-
road and warehouse commissioners be
called to the present rates, which your
committee believe are much too high,
and we have been Informed that they
have not been revised for years.
We trust revision will be made and
this measure of relief be granted the
people.
From the facts aforesaid your commit
tee concludes that the consolidation OF
the wholesalers controlling this supply
of coal at the head of the great lakes,
who would otherwise be competitors,
naturally and obviously result in III
creased prices for coal in this state;
That said combination may, at its
pleasure, if it has not already done so,
advance coal to an unreasonable ant;
extOrtionate rate;
That ever since the combinations here
inbefOre spoken of were formed, the
price of coal has steadily advanced and
threatens to still further advance;
That these advances have originated
in the wholesale branch of the business,
and are not due to any natural t1uctua-
ton in the value of the commodity, but
rather the result of the destruction of
competition among the wholesalers and
the uniform rate exacted by the trans
portation companies who operate in
harmony with the designs of these local
coal barOns.
That such combinations are contrary
to sound public policy, and are extremely
dangerous To the intereSiS of the state