Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-10-25
THE COAL FAMINE.

Elsewhere in Maverick today is
published some facts regar ding the
coal famine situation in the Inland
Empire. Conditions seem to be
even worse than heretofof e, though
always deplorable. That the Har-
rirnan railroad system is to blame,
there is no longer any doubt. Some
people hereabouts seem to think that
there is spitework back of the fail
ure to supply Mountain Home, and
there may be among subordinate
officials, who can make it especial
1y hard on as; but the fact is that
every town along the line is being
treated similarly, to more or less
extent.
The action of the Hartman sys-
tenn management in this matter is
exceptionally tyrannica1, insolent
and therefore irritating The com
pany not only secured it's coal lands,
over in Wyoming, through question
able means, grabbed them from the
public domain, which the govern
ment is now Investigating and the
intelligent public condemning, but
it refuses TO ship the coal from
mines honestly acquired by indie
pendent companies, and causes in
convenience or suffering OF 200, 600
people who are dependent upon
that company for their fuel supply.
The present method of combating
this evil, that of taking fow tons
of coal from passing trains Occa-
sionally; and the discussed plan of
a number of prominent citizens
of for chilly cutting out a car when
needed and paying for it, are both
crude and serve only for temporary
relief Some more comprehensive
policy must be adopted. People of
Idaho have learned from long years
of brigandage on the part of the
u. p. and its connecting lines that
there is no use in trying to secure
from it a square deal through pro-
tests or petitions. They know that
their politicians and state officials
servi1ely crook the ready hinges OF
their knees to this great corpora
ton, to insure their political exist
ence, and they have come to regard
the situation, the chance for relief,
as hopeless. They should have
learned from this experience that
their only hope is to fight. They
certainly know that as yet nc
good, brave, united fight has ever
who have come to southern Idaho
comparatively recently, familiar
with more favorable conditions
that obtain elsewhere, everywhere
else, who have not been trained tC
calmly submit to such outrag es
would eagerly join such a crusade
lending enthusiasm to the movement
|, and thereby possibly rendering i
successful.
There are two ways to wage ths
fight and both plans of attack shout,
be employed simultaneously am
without delay. One is to bring tn
matter before the Interstate Com
merce commission and push il Wig
orously. Heretofore that has bee
no more effective of results than
Quixotic assault on flock of wind
mills; but the national administra
ton seems now to be endcavorin
to cxonerate the new interstate com
rncrce law from public condernna
ton, and some relief might possibl
be received from that source
time The most effective tactic
that can be employed, no viewer,
, to lombard the next state legislator
with petitions and personal solici
tations, thousands strong during til
session, for a state railroad commi:
sion. Such commission probabl
could not reach and cure this pal
ticular grievance directly; bu
> backed by strong, radical legisl:
ton, it could mix so much bs
= medicine, make SO much grief f,
the railroad in other quarters, thi
, it would gladly capitulate On tn
= point, as we'll as others such
commission could make the u.
- be good; that is, comparative
al 800. - :. - 49, -
to southern Idaho.
d.