The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-09-27

From the Ba,timore Sum.


It is announced that there was meeting
of the Coal Barons in New York on Tues
day to decide among themselves the amount
Of the levy they viii make upon the people
this coming winter. These are the good
men to whom God has given not only all
the anthracite coal mines in the country,
but also the railroads which are necessary
to haul the coal to market God has been
very good to them 'sSuch as are blessed
Of God shall possess the land. = 1t seems
that there is law in Pennsylvania which
prohibits railroad companies from owning
or operating coal mines. But the laws of
Pennsylvania, or those of any other State,
do not cause God s trustees much concern.
II was only necessary for the men who
compose and manage the railroad companies
to organize themselves into another COM
pany for mining purposes, and there you
are. Then the men who manage the rail-
road companies and the coal companies or
ganize themselves into still another COM
pany, and this company has meeting
every now and then to decide how much
the price of coal shall be advanced. The
meeting is somewhat similar to that Of the
gentlemen who used to live in the castles
on the hills overlooking the Rhine, to de-
eide how much each should take from the
people who passed up and down the river
in boats. God had given the Rhine to
these good barons who dwelt on the hills,
and it was no business of anyone except
themselves how much toll they levied.
All that the public had to do was to pay
the tolls Sometimes the men who travelled
on the river objected to the size Of the toll
and wanted to submit the case to arbitra-
ton. But the barons always declared
there was really nothing to arbitrate.
There is no more striking evidence of the
advance in civilization since the dark ages
than the improved facilities for doing bus
mess which the men who levy toll now en-
JOY over the Raub Ritters' of those be-
nighted times. The modern Coal Baron
can extract more money from the people in
fifteen minutes than the clumsy old fellow
on the Rhine could get in lifetime. And
it is done with so much more ease. 1t is
only necessary to issue new circular adj
vancing prices for such -and-such month
SO much per ton and the people must come
up to the captain Office and SETTLE
Some people have been astonished at the
easy indifference of the Coal Barons while
the strike is in progress. But there is
nothing which should cause any of these
men any manner of disquiet. The longer
the strike the greater their profit. A
stroke of the pen can put up the price of
coal dollar ton and that means $50, ;
900, 600 year. IF the good barons to
whom God had given the Rhine could
contemplate the raising of sum which
exceeds even the dreams Of medieval ava
rice, they would grieve that they had lived
before the fullness of time and civilization.
In the meantime the common people are
doubtless afording the men to whom God
has given the coal mines great deal of
quiet amusement A good many poor
families, driven by the high price of coal
to the use of gasoline, are blown up. This
gives the funeral directors something to do.
Chicago papers state that coal is selling
there for over SO ton and one or two
sales at $25 are reported. It is also re-
ported that there has been much agitation
in house rents Many people who had
already been suffering from prosperity, de-
spairing of being able to pay the big sum
that will be required to warm house, gave
up their houses and fled to apartments.
But they were headed off there also, for
prosperity got there before them and adj
Vanced apartment house rents to such an
extent that mang are unable to pay them.
1t is also reported that Cupid will have to
go into winter quarters Cupid is thinly
clad and cannot live in the rigorous climate
of Chicago with nothing on but bow and
a pair of summer wings. Love cannot keep
the house warm, and so weddings are being
deferred until the robins nest again. Here
in Baltimore people are beginning to wonder
how they will be able to stand this present
burden Of prosperity and keep the pipes
from freezing during the coming winter.