The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-12
The Value of Coal.

at is Il well known trade principle,
says the Black Diamond, that COM
modify is worth what it will bring. Iii
case of necessity or q commodity
that is regarded largely as a neces-
sity there are some limitations to this
rule. Then it will bring the price
which can be paid for it by the ma
jority of consumers. If this price Is
put beyond the reach Of the average
consumers, it is rapidly being estab-
lished as q principle of common law
that the government has power to reg
ulate it within certain limitations. This
rule further provides that the producer
of any article Of common necessity is
entitled to fair profit on the COM
modify which he produces.
1--WE believe that anthracite coal may
be considered as coming fairly under
these we'll known laws of trade. a
fortnight or three weeks ago anthra-
cite coal was selling III this country
at from $12 to $40 a ton. 1t was bought
at those figures, and in many instances
very gladly. Due to the stringency i'll
supply Welsh coal was being brought
into shis country and was being sold
in thA seaboard cities at SO a ton, re-
tail. Under the conditions existing
then, neither of these prices was con-
eidered exorbtant. Those who We're
obliged to buy coal because of their
needs paid them gladly.
I'm the one instance Welsh coal Is
inferior TO our anthracite coal. Would
it be any extortion, then. if the oper-
ators had decided to raise the price
to the same basis as this imported
. al
ity was worth two weeks ago: it was
no violation of trade rules and of trade
laws to obtain that price for it then
why is 1t now?
We think. reasoning from the
standpoint of intrinsic value, the an
thracte producers of coal We're just-
fled in obtaining as much as they
could for their product for a. certain
time. If the conditions had been
changed and it had been a strinEency
in butter in this country, there would
have been no criticism of the butter
makers if they had sold their product
for the highest price 1t would bring.
If there was a strngency of labor.
there would be little criticism of the
laborer if he got all for his days
labor he could command. But the op-
orators are not taking advantage of
the situation.
1.-THE advance of so cents a ton,
which they have put in effect, is only
partially to reimburse them for an in
dustrial controversy, which caused
them losses aggregating many thous
ands of dollars, due to the destruction
of property, flooding Of mines idleness
of rolling stock and motive power, and
wages occasioned by the fact that
many employees We're continued on the
payroll without having adequate du-
ties to perform, simply because their
discharge would have been a source
of suffering to innocent persons in
volved in a controversy in which they
We're blameless.
THE slight advance made on an
thracte coal may be more than wiped
out by any recommendations the ar
bitration commission may make as to
future wages. Such recommendations
will apply from the first of November.
This advance was necessary for the
protection Of the operators and the
stockholders in their companies. AS n
matter of fact, the operators would
have been justified in advancing the
price much more than they did. The
fact that they have not advanced the
prices any more is an evidence that
they have the welfare of the public at
heart"