Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-09-09

the Coal Transfers Union OF Chica,
go. II there were any non-union work.
men in the industry which he repre-
sents."
mo he replied, unless they are
In the hospital"
81 asked John c. Drlscoll, secretary
Of the Coal Team Owners association
the corresponding organization OF
employers-if there were any indie
pendent operators in his branch OF
the industry"
you'll have to look for them with
a spy glass; he said"
This means that both the men and
the owners have crushed independent
competition. There is no longer such
a thing as a 'scab' teamster nor any
competing team owner. The union and
the association have signed an 'e1
elusive agreement which is the yery
essence of the new m~onopolistic com
binations. This is what IL means.
The coal team owners agree to EN-.
ploy none but union men: result
the Independent workman, the social
ed scab, is instantly driven out OF ex-
istence, and competition on the side
of labor is killed. The coal teamsters
agree to work for lone but members
OF the Coal Team Owners ~associa-
ton; result-the Independent employ
err is driven out OF existence and COM
petition on the side OF capital is kill
ed. Total result-an absolute monop-
oily of the industry. Let any man not
a member of a union try to drive
a coal wagon In Chicago, and see how
quickly his head would be broken!
Similarly, let any important employer
concern come into Chicago and try
to go into the coal teaming or retail
coal business without first making
peace with or joining the Coal Team
Owners association, and see how long
it would remain u~nsmashed!"
Mr.. Baker recounts the successful
fight made by the teaming interests
upon natural gas as a fuel as an in
stance of the invincible power OF the
new combination. He adds that the
combine has raised the prices for coal
delivery at least 40 per cent, and Chi.
cage pays the bill. Future prospects
are outlined as follows:
81 asked one of the teamster lead
ers what was the next step in this
campaign of the combination.
"'We're going to stop delivering
coal in bags he said. It's too hard
work for the men; the dirty water
runs down the back OF their necks.'
"But what if the public object?"
It'll have to like It,"
Under such conditions as these the
public of Chicago gets its coal today.
Do not imagine that Chicago lies quiet
under its yoke. 1t struggles and
strikes out. knowing that it Is hurt,
but not knowing exactly whom to pun
ish. As n prominent Chicagoan put
it to me: 1t is like trying to fight
the circunambient atmosphere APP
~parently the innocent party of the
third part, who is chiefly damaged
has no remedy. In all the discussion
of the rights of trusts or unions, the
fact that the public also has rights
disappears into ~obscurity. Who has
even suggested the need of arbitra-
ton between the monopoly n the
consumer, who must buy Its goods?"
The teaming combination is not the
only monopoly discussed by Mr.. Bak-
err. He discusses the fight being made
by T.. A. Rysdon upon the Sheet Met
al Contractors association, and touch
es upon the alleged brickmakers and
master bakers pools. The absolute
power gained by these combinations
is laid to the coercing methods ap-
piled by both capital and labor. "One
side is no better than the other says
the author. 'On one side business.
or, in plain English, bribery, and on
the other smuggling. The consumer
public must pray for mercy"
In summing up the situation. Mr..
Baker says that neither the union, the
association or the agreement between
them is necessarily illegal. The dan
ger lies in the abuse of the tremen-
dous power of these m~onopolies. The
combination falls into the hands OF
a dishonest machine with the result
that corruption follows and the public
pays the bills. 1t is quite likely that
hard times, when they do come, VIII
break down many OF these combina-
lions. but another period of prosper
ity will see the e monopolies grip
themselves more strongly upon our ma
tional life. The ancient antagonism
between capital and labor is appar-
emily giving place to a division OF our
industrial life in which each industry
combining both employer and employe
may stand solid against h world"