The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-04-22
bAER'S COAL sermon
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
President Baer Never Speaks
Without Serving the Cause
of Truth.
In This Case He Exposes Po'
sition Of Coal Barons and
Their Monopoly.


Cincinatti. O., April 20, 1905.-Mr.
George F.. Baer, Of the Reading rail-
road, delivered a lecture to an audience
Of anthracite coal miners which was
made the subject of comment at the
Vine street Congregational church by
the pastor, Herbert S. Bigelow. Mr.
Bigelow said in part:
'Mr. Baer never speaks without sacv-
Ing the cause Of truth. It is doubtful
humanity than his immortal declara-
ton that God had given the wealth
and power Of this country to the wise
and good who would look out for the
interests Of the rest.
The other day in an address to his
employees, Mr.. Baer spoke Of a certain
obligation which the owners of coal
have said:
In general because coal is a neces-
sity Of our modern life, the owners OF
coal are under some kind of an obli-
cation to do all within their power
to supply coal to the public in reason
able quantities and at a fair price,
A Tory Speech.
"This is typical Tory speech. Let
us look into it. If Mr.. Baer had said
the owners Of coal mines instead Of the
owners of coal he would have been
nearer truth. 1t is not true that those
who own coal are under any obligation
to part with 1t in any quantities or al
any price, but there is some such obi
cation resting upon those who own the
mines.
What is the reason for this obliga-
ton? Mr.. Bear says it is because coal
is a necessity Of our modern life. But
this cannot be. Wheat is as much q
necessity as coal. Yet we never hear
people denouncing farmers for their
rapacity and insisting upon their OBJ
legation to furnish reasonable quaint.
ties Of wheat at fair price.
''The reason we talk of the obligations
the owners of farms, Is not because coal
is more Of a necessity than wheat, but
because coal lands are monopolized
more readily than farm lands.
IRE Power of Six Failroat3s.t =
Suppose it could be said that 80
per cent of the farms of the nation are
already the property of six railroads.
as is true of the. anthracite coal, fields.
Suppose the Officials Of these railroads
o% M UYol14~f o+1 4
determine what is a reasonable quariM-
ty and what is a fair price for wheat
as they are able to do in the case OF
coal.
If farms could be monopolized as Goa
lands have been, if Mr.. Baer and his
associates had the power to increase
diminish or even stop the production OF
wheat, as they certainly have in the
case of coal, then no doubt these gen.
tlemen would graciously acknowledge
that because wheat is a necessity OF
our modern life, the owners Of wheat
are under some kind Of an obligation to
do all within their power to supply
wheat to the public in reasonable guam
titles and at fair price,
IF we should talk to the farmer now
he might we'll say to us: If you do not
want to buy wheat at my price, buy
it Of some one else or raise it your
self If Mr.. Baer should say that tc
us, he would be mocking us, for he and
those six railroads have all the mines
They ask all they can get, just as the
farmer does. But they have monopoly
and therefor can get an unfair price
Mans Mercy or Natures Law.
I'VE must either throw ourselves al
the mercy of Mr.. Baer or we must de-
stroy his monopoly. Those who are
born Tories will pray for cheap coal
The others will work for government
railroads and a tax on idle coal lands
sufficient to open them to capital and
labor.
(which is safer, to let Mr.. Baer de.
termine what is a reasonable quantity
and fair price for coal, or to destroy
monopoly and leave the matter to the
free plav Of natural laws?"