Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-12
Not Thought That Removal
of Duty on Coal Would Re
lieye Distress
PRICES DUE TO OTHER CAUSES
Senator'S and Representatives Are of
the Opinion That Congress Can Not
Reach the Evil, Which They Say is
Trust Bred and Monopoly Reared
Proofs of This.


conference on the floor of the senate
today, which was participated in by
Aldrich, Allison. Spooner and Long and
Chairman Payne, of the house commit
tee on ways and means. In consequence
Aldrich announced in the senate when
the Vest resolution for the removal OF
the duty on coal came up that he had
reason to believe there would be action
elsewhere regarding the removal of the
duty Andrich has contended the SEN
ate had no power to initiate such leg
islation.
Aldrich asked that the Vest resolu-
ton go oyer. Vest vigorously objected,
saying he had no assurance that any
thing will be done In any other place.
"Circumstantia evidence he said, is
strongly against any such assumption.
After some further discussion the res
olution went over.
Washington, Jan. 12.--Removal, eth
er by repeal or suspension, of the duty
of 81 cents ton on coal would not, In
the opinion of senators and representa-
tives who have given the matter con-
sideration, result in relieving the dis
tress that prevails in some of the large
cities. The coal famine With the result
ant high prices is due, they say, to oth-
er causes than the tariff. The suffering
and distress is trust-bred and monopo-
ly-reared, they insist, and is apparently
beyond the reach OF remedial legisla-
ton.
~ aNrft IN,
their opinion because the combination
that is causing all the trouble does not
come under the constitutional power of
congress to regulate. The octopus, 1t is
held, is not in the coal fields of Penn
sylvania, but in the wood yards of the
local dealers. The high prices, they
say, may be in degree caused by the
advance in the price of coal sold by So
called independent operators. but
they argue that unless the local dealers
We're not In the bleeding" process they
could with profit import coal and pay
the present duty.
Legislators ask:
Why is it the abnormal prices in GER
tain localities. Chicago. Washington
and Boston, for instance, have rot stim-
ulated importations? The Chicago
dealers can readily cross the Canadian
boundary they say, and bring in coal
under the present tariff II the situation
there can be relieved by foreign coal.
What is duty Of 81 cents a ton. they
ask. in comparison with the exorbitant
prices demanded for coal In places
where a famine exists?
Postmaster General Payne recently
y y
this phase. His department was with
out coal Bids were advertised for. The
lowest proposed to furnish. bituminous
coal at $s.65 ton. Another local deal
er asked SIS for the same grade of coal,
While third thought $40 a fair price.
The contract was awarded the lowest
bidder. Upon meeting him few days
later. after the matter had been closed
and the bond filed, the postmaster gen
eral was inclined to sympathize with
him until the dealer announced that he
wished the contract was larger.
II know that my bid was several dol.
lars lower a ton than the Others" he
said, but stand to lose nothing. In
fact, / Will clear profit of so cents on
every ton of coal furnish the pos toffice
1t is such instances as this that con-i
vince congressman that the trouble
does not lie in the tariff. If bituminous
coal can be furnished by one dealer at
$5.65 with a profit to him of so cents
why do other dealers demand from IS
to $40 for the same grade of coal? This
is Il question which the senate commit
tee on the District of Columbia is now
trying to solve. Either the operators
and railroads are discriminating in ia
vor of the dealer who makes the low
bid, or the other dealers who are de-
handing fancy prices are making enor-
nous profits
The house committee ON ways and
means controls the situation so far -
the tariff on coal is concerned. The
senate did all that can be done, it Is
held. when resolutions were introduced
by Mr. Vest for free coal and by Mr..
Lodge for a suspension of the duty up-
ON coal. Other senators could Introduce
resolutions until the finance committee
room could contain no more, and unless
the ways and means committee Initial
ed legislation nothing would come of
them in a tangible form.
In the senate the sentiment is deeid-
edly in favor of free coal, but the most
prominent senators advocating the re-
moval OF the duty do not believe free
coal VIII mean cheaper coal in those
cities where famine now prevails.