The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-12
GAL.

mere rs no HlleldhluE llt ~lIliS lllAN lh
less something providential or political
happens the people will in the compare
lively near future be In the meTciless grasp
Of synd:cated coal corporations as powerful
in the fuel regions as is Mr.. ROckefeller's
pet octopus in the oil industry. The richest
coal mining lands in the country are being
steadily absorbed by shrewd capitalists.
and. as usual, the railways are playing
their part as an influential factor in the
process Of consolidation. In fact, II is ow-
ing largely to their power &c cooperate by
surreptitious discrimination that the gen
eral movement toward monopoly is going
so persistently forward 10 the regions
where fuel is mined.
II is stated upon excellent authority, and
the assertion is based upon mere than a
superficial knowledge OF the situation. IS
well as its ramifying features, that the
anthracite territory in Pennsylvania has
long been dominated by railway interests
whose controlling position has enabled
them TO advance hard coal prices almost at
will because OF their ability to regulate the
supply.
There has however. been one check to
their cupidity in the shape Of a practically
unlimited field of bituminous coal. which,
in its original form. OF as coke. has been
in many instances substituted Tor anthra-
cite. Although the soft fuel is not fitted
for many industrial purposes. it has served
to aid consumers in escaping from the ex-
orbitant demands OF the hard-cOal combine
But the public will not always have the
privilege OF playing the scattered blumin-
Gus producers against The associated an
thracite corporations. Those who are init
mateIy familiar with the situation in the
fuel country declare that the bitumiuous
mines are now the objects Of manipulation.
and are gradually being absorbed by rail-
way. cobng. and furnace-operating con-
Germs. To be sure. many Of the soft-ccaI
producing properties are yet held by indie
pendent owners in the Keystone state. in
West Virginia. and in other Southern To-
calities. But the trust-railway schemers.
with their characteristic avidity for assimi-
lation, have been persistently grabbing up
the best producing territory lying within
easy distances of the transportation faciI-
ties. And, as their capital and influence
expand, il will doubtless be the old story
OF oil-feld concentration in a few hands.
The power TO buy and to force others to sell
will have the one inevitable result.
The trust-railway plan of action keeps
pace with the extension OF steel highways
into new fields only recently two
thousand four hundred acres OF
Pennsylvania coal lands passed into
the possession OF a Pittsburg syndicate.
a mere sample OF what is going on in the
mining regions. In a smaller way the
fuel areas of the South and other sections
are said to be gradually passing into the
hands Of lesser trusts or allied interests.
No power Of prophesy is necessary to
determine with approximate fidelity the
ultimate result of this commercial
concentration in the coal country
Simple logic will lead one to the
conclusion that the bituminous arti-
Gle will eventually be mined almost. il
not quite, Exclusively by one gigantic cor
poration. o. a number OF allied monopoIistic
interests, which equals the same thing
Inasmuch as there is a natural tie Of sym>
patty which binds combines. too frequently
resulting in a compromise and capitalistic
love feast when a clash Of belligerents
would confer great benefits upon the pub
lie, it is not to be expected that there will
be any serious difficulty between the two
monster organizations, or groups of tsso-
ciated concerns. when the process Of con
solidation has been carried TO the limit.
There is small prospect that the anthra-
cite octopus will fan upon and seek to
MAIN OF cripple its bituminous brother;
there is more likelihood that thu more 70 4.
bust Of the two will calmly annex the
other, thus creating an artificial Siames5
fuel trust to share the victims
Judging from the general tendency Of
this abnormal form Of enterprise. which
essays to fix prices as well as produce
commodities. the public has no reason to
expect any benefcent result from the
movements toward consolidation and as
similation now progressing in the coal
fields. The only benefit to accrue will be
in the direction of continued concentra-
tiou Of public sentiment. which is ceStain-
y shaping itself into crusade for CO.