St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-01

Members OF the Combine =
Committees to Inquire Into
| the Policy of Purchasing by
the Cargo
The exciting scenes and incidents
| provoked by the coal combine investiga-
ton by the joint legislative committee
last spring were revived last evening in
the senate chamber. 1t was the first
meeting Of the citizens committee Of
| fifty since the indefinite adjournment
last spring. or when the interest in the
coal supply had died out because there
was no longer an active market.
The only thing of definite character
that was accomplished last evening was
the appointment of subcommittee Of
| five to lnqnire into the question, and to
undertake to report feasible plan of
| procedure with view to prevent eX-
tortionate prices from any cause what
| ever. The tenor of the sentiment ex-
| pressed was that the prices of coal in
| st. Paul are much higher than a fair
profit to the dealers, producers and
shippers requires. This was practically
| ton as the result of the investigation of
| the legislative committee.
Col. j. Ii. Davidson is the chairman
| of the citizens committee and called
| the meeting to order, and Secretary j.
NJ. Hawthorne was at his post of duty.
| The chairman, in an eXtemperaneous
effort, explained that the session had
| been called to deal with the problem in
volving the price of coal. Whether it be
controlled by monopoly or combine,
or whether FROM any other cause.
it mattered very little. After
little preliminary and des-
| read from Hon. r. A. Walsh, who
was one of the most enthusiastic
| and active members of the legislative
| committee, and who is also a member of
| the citizens committee, in which he eX-
pressed his regret because of his ina
| hilitY to attend. Sickness IN his family
| prevented. He suggested that positive
| action be taken by the committee, and
! he suggested the appointment of a sub
committee of five to receive orders for
coal from the citizens, and then to place
them with such shippers as are willing
to give fair prices and fair treatment.
| This latter proposition met with
| hearty response on the part of several
members of the committee. Secretary
| Hawthorne, especially, was an ardent
| advocate of the plan, and he IncOrpo-
| rated it i'll a formal resolution. This
met with hearty cooperation from sew
| eral committeeman, and then followed
motions in rapid succession, but none
of them were stated or put by the chair.
| Mr.. Davidson seemed inclined to give
the widest latitude to the expression Of
| ideas, and the conference was pro-
longed until the question was finally
| called for.
| The Situation Discussed.
j. j. Ryder had little faith in the
! proposition to buy coal from the ship
! pers or the miners and then dispense to
| the public. He considered the project
| impacticable. People totally without
| experience cannot compete with coal
dealers, and there would always be
| trouble. But Charles Butts was
fayorably impressed. and he favored
| sending a committee direct TO the
mines to ascertain whether or not con-
| tract can be made for certain number
| of tons to be laid down in st. Paul at
J fair price. William Rodger combatted
| this theory of Kidding the city of the
| combine incubus. He felt that there is
| very little recourse. The courts had re-
fused redress. The grand jury had re-
| fused to indict the members of the COM
bine, and he felt that the committee has
| very little hope in store.
John Weigle explained that he had
| been reliably informed that anthracite
| coal is delivered to the consumers i'll
| Milwaukee for $4.25 and he suggested
| that the proposed committee visit that
| city if necessary to learn the facts in
| the case. He went on to say that the
| freight rates from Milwaukee to st.
Paul are about the same that they are
from Duluth to st. Paul. He wanted
the committee of fifty to act, however,
| instead of a subcommittee.
| Mr.. Rodger again scored the courts
| and the grand jury, and asserted that
| the evidence that had been laid before
I that body should have been convincing
| of the rascality of the coal combine. He
| was not surprised to note an anarchistlc
| tendency when such things confront
| the people. He held that the only re-
| dress that remains is through congress.
| An act should be passed cOn6Scating the
| property of all combines and monopolies,
| and in this the remedy can be found.
| Mr.. Ryder was inclined to look upon
| this as a rather pessimistic view, and he
made speech in which he emphasized
| the importance of arousing the public.
| To this end he moved that the chamber
| of commerce be requested to appoint
committee to act in conjunction with the
| subcommittee proposed by the former
motion.
Various Remedies Suggested.
Mr.. Hawthorne did not believe that
the people cannot get redress in the
| courts, and he pointed to the fact that
often the decisions OF one court are re-
versed by another. He thought that if
| the case of Rhodes be placed before
representative Jury in the right light
| bill of Indictment will be returned. Mr..
| Wollrufi grew excited and arraigned
| the courts as the friends of monopolies
| and all things that are evil, and denied
| that poor man can getredress there. 1t
| has been asserted that the grand jury
| that had considered the case was COM
! posed of the best citizens of st. Paul.
| He wished to go on record as denying
that they were good citizens. The
evidence that was given before the
grand jury was notorious. Still the
| grand jury said no wrong act had been
committed. He urged that it be de-
[ rnanded of the representatives In com