The Indianapolis journal., 1903-01-12
THE DEMAGOGUE AND THE COAL
FAMINE,

ton which made something of ridiculous
spectacle of itself while the President was
doing his utmost to end the strike have
been holding a meeting In Chicago. Only
two of the participants in the Chicago
meeting are known-Senator Mason, Of
Illinois. and Mayor Maybury. of Detroit.
While the Detroit meeting did not vote to
the mines. several Of the speeches advo-
Gated such policy. Most sensible people
understand that for the President to under
take TO do anything in the nature of seizing
private property and operating 1t would be
an unheard-of assumption of power outside
of the Constitution. 1t would have been
such an act of a dictator that 1t is probable
the Car of Russia would not have at
tempted it. II the President had acted
upon the suggestions of the 'get-coal' con-
vention it is probable that the anthracite
mines and railroads would not be furnish
ing as much coal as the mine operators are
now putting upon the market. The trouble
about the supply of anthracite is that the
mines were idle the four months when
large quantities of such coal are shipped
to the more distant cities. Such being the
case, all the suits at law that could be
brought would not increase the supply of
anthracite. On Saturday, at the meeting
Of few of the Detroit committee, two
or three men, including Senator Mason and
Mayor Maybury, made speeches criticising
the President and the attorney general
because they have not done as much as
they could under the laws to compel the
shipment of coal. The reports of the meet
ing do not state under what federal laws
the attorney general could proceed to COM
pei the operators to dig more coal than
they are now supplying or to compel rail-
road companies to ship coal which may not
be offered them to ship. There is no such
law, and it is useless to go into court with
out some law under which proceedings
could be instituted. But the Mason-May-
bury coterie is going to Washington to
hold 'get-coal' meeting and continue
the role of the demagogue.
Why the soft coal operators and railroads
in the soft coal districts are unable to sup
ply the demand at fair prices is something
of an enigma. Doubtless much more soft
coal is now being consumed than a. few
years ago, and considerable more than a
year ago. when, for a brief period. there
was scarcity and the railroads confscated
coal intrusted to them to ship. But the
bituminous coal producers had fair warn
ing and should if possible, have filled their
orders earlier in the season. The mystery
now is why should the supply of soft coal
be so short, and Nhy should prices be so
outrageously high. The largest coal fields
are in States where there is a scarcity
which people allude to as a coal famine.
Consequently, If there is anything that
can be done under the forms of law it must
be done by state courts. If there are COM
binations among the dealers to ask ex-
orbitant prices rigid investigation by a
grand jury or a legislative committee could
| expose them. That something of that kind
should be done there can be no doubt. If
| the present exorbitant prices are the result
| of organized greed it should be known and
punished. But the President and the at
torney general Of the United States have
no more legal right to interpose than they
would have to enforce the laws Of Great
Britain. Mayor Maybury should know as
much as this Of the duties and the limita-
tions of the President even if such an emo
tional being as Senator Mason does not
| The whole Mason-Maybury movement is
/ demagogic and should disgust sensible peo.
| pie.
Equally demagogic and absurd is the as
sumption of some persons that duty OF
81 cents ton can have any effect on the
supply when the price of coal is from s
| to so a ton.