The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-05-10
month to month, SO that in the .eHd he
would have to pay anyway There was


would have to pay anyway, There was
no chance of escape. :*::~ =.
The owners and agents of business
blocks who buy large amounts of an
thracite coal for heating purposes, are
bowling over these conditions, but the
trust having destroyed competition, sees
no relief for them.
They think that something should be
done to curb the exactions of the octo-
pus, and give them relief from it's ex-
tortion. The policy pursued is the
same all over the country, and not a
town in the east or west but feels it..
They think that concerted action by con-
sumers could place such laws on the
state statute books as would prevent
the robbery which is being practiced
against all the people. George H.
Crosby, speaking about the matter,
voiced the sentiment of the trust of the
consumers, in Duluth when he said yes
terday.
THE hardships imposed by the coal
trust against consumers began two
years ago, and it is remarkable that they
have not been stayed since by some
process of law. As now, the heavy
consumers were the first to feel it. They
were compelled to buy large quantities
of coal for immediate delivery, under the
threat of larger prices. This policy was
begun August l, with 20 cent raise.
We thought that was pretty bad, but a
year ago we were notified that the same
raise would be made July 1. l told one
of the coal men then, that in time we
would be compelled to take the coal
direct from the boats or pay a penalty,
and now this time has virtually come,
with the raise of ten cents made NAY l,
and the threat of another in June. The
local dealers, who represent the trust
meet every two or three days in the
Torrey building, and after sizing up the
situation, decide on some new hardship
to be imposed on the consumer. l do
not know that there is a law against
this holdup game, but l know there
ought to be, and the way to get it is
for the people of Duluth, as we'll as
other cities, to make united demand
for one. The coal trust is working just
as much of hardship as the beef trust.
1t controls one Of the commodities which
enables people to live in rigorous weather
and which everyone must use and it
seems strange that it should be allowed
to resort to such outrageous practices
unrestrained by law
The kick against the trust is not only
heard among individuals, but members
of the city council have taken notice
of it, and within a very short time it
will be made the subject of legislation.
Many of the aldermen charge that the
trust people not only screw up the prices
out of all reason, when compared with
the ever decreasing cost of production
and freight charges, but that they re-
sort to actual dishonesty in selling to the
general public, the people who buy
half a ton or ton at a time. 1t is
stated that the representatives of the
trust at the docks weigh coal at 1900
pounds to the ton, and thus turn a neat
penny by downright theft.
An ordinance will soon be introduced
in the council which will put stop to
this graft. BY it's provisions, a deputy
sealer of weights and measures will be
placed on each dock to see tnat the
correct weight is given, and that the
poor householder is not robbed of a
tenth of the coal he pays for. 1t is
probable, however that if this is done,
the trust win boost t t!e price Of small
quantities of coal ten Per cent, 50 that
no relief can be obtained in this way.
One of the aldermen said yesterday:
II believe that the only way the
council can get at the trust is to start
an agitation to extend to other cities,
which will result in an overwhelming
demand on the next legislature for the
enactment of laws to break up the coal
combination"
In a move Of this kind the council
will have the enthusiastic support of the
business people and laboring men of the
city alike.