The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-16
FRIDAY, JANUARY Is, 1903.
THE PEOPLES OWN FAULT.

The country is receiving a succession of object
lessons the advantages of the protective SYSTEM and Of
the completeness of the control which the protected in
teress exercise the conduct of the existing admin
istraton the effect of which ought endure for
siderable time Yet it is safe say that something
impressive in the way of public loss and suffering than
has yet been endured will be necessary before the people
receive enduring impressions of the wrongs imposed
them
Popular misunderstanding will surely arise as the re-
suit OF the changing features which the fuel problem
assuming from day day. In commercial life there
y is the slightest hesitation take the fullest advantage
OF public necessities The discoveries that being
made OF combinations all the country with view
to controlling the coal supply of sections and localities
represent nothing exceptional in mercantile conduct In
deed the principle in commercial conduct which such
combinations represent is the which underles the
trust movement and renders its effective control regu
lation difficult. The whose OK is gored in such
transactions is the who complains 1t is the public
OK which being gored The public is complaining
and public authority alone prevent continuance of
the operation.
Back of all these combinations in coal stand those
who control the anthracite coal supply and their
temptuous refusal to discharge their public functions
throughout the past summer to submit the claims
which such refusal based to public arbitranent
These interests occupy in principle precisely the same
position which is occupied by every projected industry in
the country. They have been placed above the law
through the avortsm of the law and those who make
and execute it and they sustained by the strongest
political force in existencen state, nation and locality
alike.
There probably is court in the entire country
which would sustain constitutional the principle which
finds expression in the resolution offered by the chairman
Of the house judiciary committee relative the public
taking possession of the coal mines and coalcarryin
agencies of the country. Yet it is offered as supplement
to the ingenious action of Senator Adrich amending
the house for rebang coal duties for year
by his proposal that the provision in the Dngley bill
latng anthracite should be the future
to involve the evying of duties anthracite coal
from abroad. Each of these measures.is mere trAing
with serious situation. Neither of them gives express
sion to present public demand They both designed
to draw attention away from the enormtes of prohib-
tive tariff. Aldrch avoids admitting the need of legis
at1on hostile to protectionism in order protect the
public from suffering The other proposal is designed
simply to mislead the public from the true political sig
hcance of the present huatng position occupied by
national and authority alike toward commercial
marauders.
1t must depend on the people themselves whether OF
are now being exposed throughout the country will con-
tnue to be formed whenever anything like CORE
spending opportunity presents itself If the people turn
lightly aside when the present and suffering has
passed and busy themselves with their own concerns
without thought of the dangers that have been avoided
which they probably will do-the situation will continue
next year and ten years hence just as it is today