The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-30
Mine Inspector Keegan Fur
nishes Some Information.
Says Topeka Dealers Are Re-
spOnsible for Prices.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED
History of Trouble Over Men
Who Cut Rate.
Usage City Labor Exchange
Made Trouble in Topeka.

The annual report of James Keegan,
state inspector of coal mines has gone
to the printer. The document contains
some interesting information concerning
the coal situation in Topeka and shows
now the coal dealers have compelled the
people to march to their music during
the past winter. Mr.. Keegan says OF
this matter:
In the past year coal sold as high as
$3.50 per ton to the consumer in Topeka
The Labor Exchange of Usage City and
Burlingame through economical man
agement, the result Of the cooperative
system under which they work were
able to place their coal on the Topeka
market at greatly reduced figure The
coal companies Immediately protested
against this action of the Labor Ex-
change and appealed to the Miners
unions to prevail on the Exchange to
sell at the prices established by the coal
companies, claiming that as they had
made concessions to the miners, paying
them an advance of % cents per ton for
mining, it was necessary for the miners
to sustain the companies in keeping up
the selling price OF coal The miners
unions accordingly appointed commit
tees to wait on the officers Of the Labor
Exchange and requested them to raise
the selling price of their coal The Elx-
change people refused to comply with
this request, and in justification Of their
position offered the following explana-
ton:
.'First-That by selling direct to the
through the hands of the middle man,
the consumer obtained his coal as great .
ly reduced rates, thus dispensing with
the enormous profits that usually went
to the middle man.
'Second-That they were paying their
miners as high a price per ton for min
ing as prevailed in the district and
that therefore there was no just ground
for complaint.
"They finally convinced the union
committees that their request was not
justifable and the matter was allowed
to drop.
mo blame can be attached to the
Labor Exchange for selling direct to
the consumer instead of the middle man
or jobber, as the coal companies were
| doing, for the reason that the jobber
seems to control the market in Topeka.
The jobber may buy the coal at a rea-
sonahle rate, at about $2 per ton at the
4 niIle. and by the time It reaches the
! consumer the price is usually doubled,
and most of the citizens are led to be-
/ lieVe that this increase in price is caused
/ by the demands of the miners which
have to be met. and all kinds of Op-
probrium is heaped on the Unsuitable ID
coal miner.
SHOULD the Labor Exchange succeed
| in throwing the middleman out o. a
| job they will deserve the thanks of the
citizens of Topeka and of the coal
miners as well, as it will dispel the
erroneous idea in the minds of the pub
! lie that the miners are pald an ad-
vance in proportion to every advance
made in the selling price of coal
"The Labor Exchange is a body Of
| workingmen who are organized for the
| purpose of lettering their condition.
| They are endeavoring to materialize
| what has heretofore been an idea only.
that of giving to labor the fun share
of its product. All are workers in this
| body. There are no drones in this hive.
| no high-salaried officers, no great man
| at the top to seize the lions share and
dole out a pittance to labor as though
| he was bestOEing it in charity. All
are paid equal to the standard wage OF
| the country according to the work they
are engaged in, and all share equally
| in the profits. The idea is a good one,
| and cannot fail of success if properly
| directed But let them beware that the
| spirit of competition does not divert
| them from their purpose, and leave
their members worse off than at the be-
| ginning of their cooperative efforts
Let them not put coal on the market one
| cent less than at the selling price OF
can do so and make as good wages as
their brother miners who work for a
corporation.
They are not organized simply TO
make the same wages They are there
to make better wages; to get the fuu
value of their labor. They are there
| to show the world what organized CO.
| operative ownership can do for working
men. Let the profits Of their plan re-
vert where they rightfully belong-to
| the members Of their association Let
the record of their daily earnings show
a material increase, rather than that
the Indifferent and sometimes antagon-
| icffo -o1 S11rJ1or