Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-10-12
A BATTLE ROYAL
PEOPLE VS.. COAL BARONS, SAYS
CHICAGO RECORD.HERALD.
The Recent Advance in Price Of Anthracite
Coal an Arbitrary Act. A Continuous
Challenge to the People to an Aggressive
Warfare Through Their Legislatures and
Courts.

NOuItS.
The retail price of anthracite coal OF
Chicago was recently raised to 1915 a
ton.
In April, 1908, the price was 81 25 and
each month since then a 10.cent raise
has been made.
In April, 1902, before the strike began,
the price was 1915, or 50 cents lower
than April, 1908.
In April, 1901, the price was $3.50, or
rs cents lower than in 1908.
In an editorial printed in its issue of
September 8, the Chicago Record Herald
says
"These increases in price, both month
by month through the summer and from
year to year, are arbitrary acts on the
part Of the men who monopolize the an
thracite coal fields and who own the
coal-carrying railroads There is no ex-
cuse for such increases because of the add
vance in wages OF the LINERS, for, as We
have already shown, that advance repre-.
sents not over 10 or Is cents ton.
"The operators have power to add an
other 25 or so cents to the price whenever
they wish. Indeed we have no means of
being sure that they are not experiment
ing with prices this year in order to see
how much higher they can put the figure
next year"
The Record Herald thinks that this
condition OF things is "a continuous chal
ienge to the people of the country to an
aggressive warfare through their legisla-
lures and in the courts" Although the
Record Herald places high estimate
sylvania and also upon the influence Of
that trust with the interstate commerce
commission, it thinks that the fight
against that trust is not "entitely hope
less" On this point the Record. Herald
says:
illegal ingenuity has not as yet been
exhausted in meeting their case, and as
they operate notorious monopoly and
carry on a combination Of business inter
ests which is generally repugnant to the
law, it is quite within the possibilities
that way may be found to obstruct and
hamper them and SO to bring them to
terms. 1t is perhaps not necessary to
say that if it should be found there will
be no compunctions of conscience over
the use OF the power OF the state against
them. They are making this battle
without quarter
1t is not only necessary for the Record
Herald to say that if way may be found
to bring these coal barons TO terms
"there will be no compunctions OF con-
science over the use OF the power OF the
state against them" but it is necessary
that the Record. Herald give some reason
for it's faith upon this particular point
1t is not necessary to rummage through
musty lawbooks in order to discover a
very effective way CT dealing with these
trust magnates. The authorities have
but to turn to the Sherman antitrust law
with whose provisions they are already
quite familiar. The chief provision Of
that law and, indeed, the very first Sec
.tion thereof, provides fine and imprison-
ment for men who seek to do the things
these coal barons have done and which
they are nov doing.
As rule, the Record-Herald is a
frankly spoken newspaper. Its attention
is directed to the fact that no republican
newspaper and no spokesman for the adj.
ministration has yet undertaken to ex-
plain why the republican authorities have
ignored the criminal clause of the anti
trust law. In the presence of criminal
statute, enforced by an honest and re.
lentless prosecutor, the most powerful
and the richest Of men have qualled. If
the coal barons have made this, as the
Record Herald says, "a battle without
quarter" why should the peoples repre-
sentatives remain idle while the trust
magnates continue their impositions up
on the public? Why not bring every one
OF these influential lawbre akers to justice
under the criminal clause of the federal
anti trust Law? Why should the author
tiles content themselves with restraining
orders and injunction proceedings when
they have ready at hand the criminal
prosecution, the most simple and effective
proceeding under the circumstances?
Can the Record. Herald explain, and
will it explain, why the first section Of
the Sherman antitrust law has been ig-
nored by the republican authorities who
pretend to be willing and anxious to en-
force the law against the coal barons?
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