Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-12
Report OF the Industrial Com
mission Makes a Sensa.
tional Charge.
Attorney General May Begin
Proceedings Against the .
Great Coal Barons.
Competition Said to Be Prevent
ed by Agreement Among
the Owners.

|
dence, strongly indicating the existence
of an anthracite coal trust, is presented
| in the reports of the industrial COM
mission. The proceedings against the
beef trust are largely based upon evil
dence given before the interstate com :
merce commission. Should it be the
purpose of the president to bring inc
anthracite coal operators into court II
would not be difficult for the inter-
state commerce commission to pre-
pare a foundation for the suit similar
to that prepared in the beef case.
The attorney general may CONSIDER
as quite sufficient for his purpose the
evidence collected by the industrial
commission, and not require any 1ur
Their investigation, altho a report from
the interstate commerce commission
that pooling and other laws are penis
violated would offer excellent reason;
for proceeding against the anthracite
operators.
| The industrial commission, In It's
final report, in summarizing ana 81
resting the evidence given before IL
referrins to the anthracite coal ques-
ton, says:
reflective control by unity OF STOCK
ownership is given to large Propoi-
ton Of the entire output OF the ieiu
| 1t appears that the trend TOWARD con-
solidation by actual purchase, not only
of one railroad by another but OF M
dependent coal holdings by the ran
roads. together with the extension OF
the community Of ownership idea is
unmistakable It can not be long pc
fore the anthracite coal business OF the
United States in all its enormous ex'
tent and commercial value VIII De Ell
tirely monopolized by few powerful!
financial interests.
"The only safeguard for the puplic
against exorbitant prices must Dc
found either in the competition Oh
other fuels, in enlightened self-inter-
est on the part of the railroads or the
immediate application Of governmental
regulation.
| "Competition between either the pro-
ducers of anthracite coal or the rail-
roads which transport their product
can no longer be regarded as of the
slightest effect. Competition can not
be perpetuated. 1t has disappeared
apparently once and for all.
The commission declares upon evil
dence produced the existence OF
wholesale combination against the pro :
ducers."
1.-THE public has a right to expect
that the actual capital invested shall
be considered as basis, and not tha'
maladministration in the past or fu-
ture profits dependent upon monopo-
lstic extortion, shall be made the basis
either of capitalization or of dividends,
the commission declares. "A liberal
policy in this respect on the part of
| railroads does not seem altogether
probable, judging by the events of the
last thirty years, but it is always pos
sible that enlightened self-interest may
recognize that any continuation of the
present experiment OF monopohstld
control must depend upon the tolera
ton and acquiescence of the public,
Outraged public opinion would speed
Nv demand redress In some form or
other"
Evidence was produced before the
commission showing that the anthra
cite coal roads, in making a division
of price at destination, allot an ex-
cessive amount of freight, and so de-
press disproportionately the share
which is allotter to the coal at the
mouth of the pit; that the freight
charge on the anthracite is four times
that charged on bituminous coal fol
equal distances: that the railroads
have bought up large quantities of coal
lands at low prices after depressing
the value thru excessive freight rates:
that the selling price and output is
fixed by agreement; that the railroads
allot production among themselves and
that mines owned by railroads are per-
mitted to run longer than the indepen-
dent Mines"