Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-30
BAER WILL PUT COAL Up
Tells Commerce Commission Price is to
Advance Ten Gents in May.
FIXES PRICES, BUT CLAIMS COMPETITION
Reading President Says He Can De-
eide Charge for Fuel single
Handed, Though Companies
Are Not Combined.

NEW YORK, April 29.--The Interstate
Commerce commission resumed today its
Investigation into the complaint OF William
Hearst against the anthracite coal car
,ads.
snt Baer OF the Philadelphia
Reau. 4. was again called to the witness
stand. He could not tell how much Of the
coal mined along the railroad he controlled
was not purchased by him.
Mr.. Baer said he promoted the plan to
purchase the Temple Iron company and that
six railroads were interested. He sug-
gested the percentage of the different COM
panies and their directors accepted It, The
plan, he said was not so broad as to make
the Temple Iron company the sales agent of
the six companies in New York, but was in
tended to get rid of the commission men.
Selling Cost Reduced.
His idea was not to maintain uniform
price for coal at tidewater. but to reduce
the price of selling and this he had done.
But you have not succeeded in reducing
the price to the consumer" suggested
counsel.
mo-" replied Mr.. Baer, because you and
your friends have succeeded in raising
wages and putting up the cost of necessi-
ties so that profits are less"
"Is there anything in the Temple Iron
company contracts" Mr. Shearn asked
that would degrade and incrimlnate you?"
II decline to answer that question, be-
cause 1t is insolent. There is nothing in
any contract have ever made that makes
me the criminal your client published me
as being, and he cannot come into court and
insult me- You are not a gentleman or you
would not insult me-"
Mr.. Shearn turned to the commission and
asked that witness be rebuked, but his re-
quest was not complied with.
After refusing to answer a question
whether the Temple Iron company paid the
Reading 121h cents ton for all coal
continued:
II do say most emphatically that there
has been no pool and no combination to
regulate the price or output of coal be-
tween the railroad presidents since have
been president of the Reading system"
Others Have to Follow Baer.
The price Of coal sold by the Reading he
said, was fixed after a general consultation
with the general coal agents and sales
agents. other companies pursued like
course.
81 though we we're the strongest people,
he added "and fixed the price and COM
! PEELED other dealers to do the same. They
| accused me of being arbitrary, ard ! admit
| that perhaps l was arbitrary, but l felt II
was necessary. After the strike several Of
the companies complained that they could
! get better price than had fixed for the
Reading eompany's coal; they asked me to
raise the price and refused, and they had
| to come down 20 our price,"
Asked why the men were locked out, he
said "They refuse to work unless we give
for seven hours work the pay for ten hours
and we are not going to do it."
But you have fixed the rate at $3.50
ton?"
"Yes, and on May am going to ad.
vance the price 10 cents and try to work Il
up to IS. That will be a fair price ant
give us a pront. II can't get that price
I'll have to come down. II the market will
take it at IS the price will not be reduced
Mr.. Baer believed he could control thu
coal market and though he had not con
suited any OF the other coal company men
he did not fear that II he asked $5 thel
would ask any less.
And yet you say there is a competition
in the business7'
'Of course there is; fair and square com
petition" Mr.. Baer replied. 'Tt is not nee
essary that competing merchants ehoul,
cut each others throats."
do the railroads actually compete To-
business In the coal regionsP"
Elm the sense of building lines to tn
collieries they do compete. In the sens
Of underselling each other they do not"