The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-29
WHAT WOULD HELP.

There is no doubt whatever but that
relief To the people of this region on
! the coal rates, in a day. All that it
would need to do would be TO au-
nOunce that, under strict regulation to
protect the people and 10 insure the
reduction of the price OF coal indie
pendent persons or companies would be
allowed to mine the coal that is cas-
! ilY accessible from this city. The Gov
Jrnment could by strict regulation, en-
| force the independence Of this new
coal supply, and by forcing b show
| ing of the cost of production and
hauling demonstrate that there is good
profit in selling coal in Salt Lake at a
rate not much, if any. above half the
rate now charged by the dealers.
1t is idle, however, TO expect that
| monopolies that arc supported IN their
monopoly by the laws enacted with
the support of the united Congressional
delegation from THIS State will release
tho grip that this legislation gives
them The Utah delegation has been
| en- ngaged right along in Washington IN
building up and establishing monopolies
and trusts, by the enactment of unwlse
laws. That delegation, in consultation
with the President and in open approx
al, supports the withdrawal of the coal
lands from entry, this apparently with
the sole purpose of seeing that the pres
ent mopopolies are not interfered with
or in any way restrained
AS We pointed out yesterday morn
ing, relief could come at once if the
administration would undertake TO pro
tect the people as il has supported and
protected monopolies.
Another thing that would help, would
be for the blaclsmaiicrs TO stop their
activities in trying to dragoon people
and organizations TO the support of
Matchmaking schemes where those per
sons or individuals have no functions
TO perform Blackmailing cannot pos
siby afford any relief to the commu-
nity. ii might fatten the blackmail-
ers. but the natural result would be that
the monopolies would add their losses
paid for blackmail to the cost of what
I'thcy produce, the blackmaIlers them
selves having built up those monopolles
and so fortified them that they are un-
assailable Those monopolies know per
fectly we'll that all they have to do is
TO sit tight, and neither blackmall nor
ANYTHING else can affect them as long
AS the administration supports their cs-
tabishmeut and protects them in using
the power that the law gives them.
Publicity is great remedy Tor all
the evils and Affections Of our modern
economic life. If, for instance, Con
gross would require in interstate traf-
duction in detail to be published, show
ing what the mine cost is, what the
/ transportation costs, and the cost of
handling, il would quickly appear that
the people Of this region are paying
double what they ought to pay for the
cual they consume If the Government
would require this, and require it also
in some other of the staple necessities
of hfc. there would be an immediate
demand on the part of the people for
moderation in cost and for a inst in
place of a robbing and extortiouatc
profit.
! And. above all. there should be no
| opportunity for blackmailers and poiit-
! zeal lobbers and gamblers to unde rita Ike
to reap profits aud advantage from the
Affections that monopolies impose-mo
nopollcs that the political iobbcrs have
themselves built up and established.
The movement should be popular one.
IL should be an honest one 1t should
be framed along the lines of relief for
the people, and not profit for trusts,
nor loot for grabbers, IL should be
framed so that no blackmailer need
apply. and no political jobbers could
get advantage from either the neccss-
ties or the reliefs Of the people.
The after-elcction iobbery undertaken
by the Smoot organ is as futile as black.
mailing propositions always ought 10 be.
The pretended desire Of that paper is
complete reversal of that organ IS po-
sition on the general economic questions
OF the day That organ has supported
the bunko tariff law. with ali the trust.
fostering legislation that goes with il
and that q vicious Congress has enact.
cd; and now for ii 10 como out with an
attempt to blackmaiI the very monopo-
lies and trusts that it has helped to
build ny. aud whose upbuildipg il has
always defended, is one of those inncon.
sistcncies that can never prevail with
an intelligent public and never make
any Roadway as against the monopoles
that know their friends.