The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-05
CENSUS REPORTS ARE HELD UP
THE COAL COMPANIES FAIL TO
FILL IN THE SCHEDULES.
They Practically Refuse Ia Return tine
Information Called For-t'rerident
Bacr and other Offfcers Of Anthracite
Coal Companies May Bc Prosecuted.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 1T was learned
to-day that "A serious situation confrouts
the Census Office in the collection of sta
tistics regarding the operation of the an
thracite coal mines OF the United States
since 1900 and at the present time. This
has resulted in a hold-up Of the reports
of the Census Office and of tho Geological
Survey.
The Reading Pennsylvania, LehiEh Val
lev and other large coal companies have
practically refused TO fill in the census
schedules sent out last january and to
return the desired information 10 the
Census Bureau and the question of prose-
cutting President Baer of the Reading Com
pany and the presidents and other officers
of he Leading anthracite coal companies
under the law passed in 1895, providing
penalty of $4,000 fine and one years i'm
prisonment for any officer OF any corpora
ton failing To furnish statistics demanded
by the Government, Is being seriously
considered by the proper officers here.
Before any decided step is taken. however,
the whole question will be submitted to
President Roosevelt.
1t is known that in the event OF radical
act ion being taken against Mr.. Baer and
his colleagues Of the coal companies, the
best legal talent In the United States will
be employed to attack the const!tutionality
of the law Of 1898. The validity of the law
has been questioned more than once since
it's passage, but only in an Informal way.
When the schedules were delivered TO
the proper officers of the coal companies
last January, by special agents of the Census
Office, It was expected that they would
lie returned in month or so. This was
true Of the schedules Of the bituminous
mines, but nothing has been heard from
the anthracite coal companies
These schedules call for detailed informa-
ton regarding the operating expenses
of the companies the cost of the production
of coal per ton the freight charges Of the
several affiliated roads, the pay OF the
miners in the anthracite fields, their num-
Der and average daily wage, the gross and
net earnings and profits Of the companies,
and. in fact, all Information in possession
of the companies which the Government
wishes TO know,
As the newly created Department Of Com
merce and Labor, with its Bureau OF Cor
porations, which, it is said, IL looked upon
with suspicion and disfavor 10y organized
capital throughout the country, would
have access to all returns made by the
coal companies. 1t is believed that this in
part explains the reluctance and delay
of the companies TO forward the desired
information. ,
1t is further said that the anthracite
companies are perhaps taking advantage
of technical error in an amendment passed
in 1902 to the original census law OF 1888,
This law provided that the census reports
on mining must be completed and published
by july /, 1908 II was early seen that II
would I've impossible to gather and assemble
the required amount of data by the date
mentioned and at the earnest solicitation
Of the director OF the census bureau tne
law was amended postponing the date
until July /, 1904 But in this amendment
to the law July l. 1904, is mentioned as the
date on which the data must be obtained,
and not "pubIished' az in the original law,
and it is this error" as 1t is termed by
census officers. Of which, the coal com
panes are said to be taking advantage
even if they have not decided to withhold
the desired information altogether and
attack the constitutiOnality of the law
of 1893.
1t was recently decided 10 make a final
effort to induce the companies to iurinsh
the required data In accordance with
this decision President BaeT OF the Read
ing company, upon his return from Europe
n few DAYS ago, was told by an agent OF the
Census Bureau that the information re-
ulested last january was desired at once,
and it was impressed upon him that unless
the coal companies responded Immediately
the Government would take steps through
the proper channels to force the companies
to comply with the terms of the law.
So far Mr.. Baer and his associates have
not responded to this peremT tory demand.
and if the desired information Il not forth
coming within reasonable time the whole
question will be laid before the President
and permission asked 10 proceed against
the anthracite coal companies
Conservative Government officers here
view the situation with the greatest con-
Germ and admit frankly that the legality
of the provisions of the Census act and the
efficacy Of the act creating the trust
smashing bureau of the Department Of
Commerce and Labor will be- finally de-
cided If the natter ever reaches an issue
in the courts.