The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-10-20

the operators know for months ahead
about what their output will be ner-
mitted to be. The operators agent at
the mine gets a schedule the first of
every week. and sometimes oftener
telling just how much coal he win
be permitted to market. He can bring
more to the surface if he sees fit. but
it would do him no good as he would
not permitted to ship it. If an ,op-
orator desire to increase the capacity
of his mine, and nearly all of them
might be so increased, he must flrst
have an understanding with the rail-
roads. He must know if he may have
a market. The railroads in many
cases put up the breakers and in some
cases not; in fact, there is a great
deal Of interesting business detail
about this huge monopoly, but out Of
place here.
The anthracite coal railroads have
branches for the management of their
coal business that are not particularly
different from the operating, passen-
ger, freight, legal and other depart
ments. The coal departments have
able chiefs and the accounts are kept
separate from the general railroad busi
ness. They know no higher author
ity for prices, outputs and even wages.
They look to those coal departments
for policies and orders Of the day
These coal departments are controlled
by the railroads interested. This STOP
ping place should not be forgotten.
There are several Of these railroads
controlling these coal departments.
They are not owned by one man, or
owned by one commercially organized
group Of men. There is no New Jer-
sey corporation or trust which owns
these roads. No man or set of men
control the transportation policies Of
these roads absolutely. They have
tried to do SO, but have not accom-
plished this much yet. They do control
the coal supply absolutely. If the coal
monopoly were organized on paper, or
the coal trust had a legal existence, it
would first control the railroads. This
could not be otherwise, if successful,
for the railroad managements control
the coal departments Of their respect
i've lines. The exact nature of this last
firms commercial standing ground
is very important, for it is from this
that one jumps into the air to learn
what a vague, shadowy nreality, yet
powerful and dominating spirit trust
may be.
There is the anthracite coal-selling
syndicate This is a term of my own,
but it defines the purpose If not the
form of the shadow. Its authority lies
in the agreements between the manag-
ers of the coal departments of these
railroads. do not know whether they
are on paper Or by word of mouth.
They are sufficiently potent to be COM
pulsory. Even the strongest cannot
disobey the dictates of this syndicate.
The minority would then bea held fast.
yndientess speak ks tthroag IS
bank o o.,ss y, 4 h
aFsff nsIsg 1ahst lls
con rols the GOA IL ono His
cern is paid for doing the syndicate,s
trust there would probably be no
strike. Powerful interests in the Re-
publican party appealed to Mr.. Morgan
and asked him to do what he could
to get the demands of the miners
granted. Very few know what act
ually took place. This shadow syndi-
cate brooks no political dictation. 1t
cannot be touched. OF course, I can
not know but the sense Of the thing is
that Mr.. Morgan would have made the
concessions to the strikers if he could.
He above all others does no want a
big row. The great trusts do not fear
partisan political interference. What
they dread it the day when the fair
minded men Of all parties combine and
try to get rid of oppressive monopo-
lies, just as they might try to repe1 the
bubonic plague or get rid of any other
.pestilence.
This selling syndicate takes care of
the market just as accurately as it
takes care Of the supply. I forgot to
say that all coal is sold to the rail-
roads. No one else can buy coal from
these operators. The syndicate appor-
tions the selling territory, or the
amount each road is to have in certain
territory. Agents do the business, and
often the railroad does no appear in
the transaction. The retail price is
fixed by the syndicate. The transport
tation is allotted. It dispenses with
solicitors and advertising expenses. Tt
freezes out sellers who do not obey
it's strict orders. Inducements are
made to lay in supplies of coal to re-
1~,1
panies of a plethora of business in the
dead of winter, when the demand is
greatest. It is just as wise as it is
powerful in its own interests.
This syndicate has decreased enor-
mously the cost of mining and mar
keting hard coal. Has it decreased the
cost to the: consumer? I for one do not
know. -
CARPENTERS VS.. WOOD WORKERS.
The Carpenters Claim Jurisdiction