Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-18
BUREAU REPLIES
T0JUDGE C0LB0RN
Defines Again Its Purpose and
Aim in Matter OF Reduced
Coal Rates.
IS UNDETERRED BY THREATS
simply Wants Utah People To Realize
Their Power and Use IL
Properly.

The Commercial club traffic bureau
has issued "a reply to the address Il
Judge T. Il. Colborn to the Real Estate
association Wednesday. In which Judge
Colborn gave his reasons for resigning
his membership In the Real Estate as.
ISOLATION, The reply is as follows.
The Commercial club trafic bureau
has had It's attention invited TO the
statement Of Judge u r. Colborn con-
TIMED In Tho News Of Wednesday
! The statement is giyen largely TO the
reiatiOn OF bis reasons for withdrawal
| nom the Real Estate association, but
| incidentally touches somewhat upon the
| work and purposes Of the traffic bu-
ioau, and particularly with reference
! 10 Its present movement concerning ihs
| local freight rates on coal.
| IL may not therefore, be improper FOR
the bureau TO state that its conduct as
| relating "a the cost OF coal is now, and
very properly, restricted entirely to tho
| consideration OF its railroad ttgnspO.-
tation, and to the best means tor EN-
ployment In arousing the people of the
state to a realization OF the necessity OF
choosing a legislature that VIII fear
lcsaly perform It's long delayed con
stltutional duty In establishing maxi
mum rates for the railroad transporta-
ton OF coal within the state. From
the activity already manifested by the
railroad people and their allies. of
which the bureau is well advised. It
would appear that they are much
alarmed over the apparent prospect
that the bureau will be successful In
its righteous undertaking.
PURPOSE OF BUREAU.
TO the proposition that the people
and business interests Of the state Of
Utah are unduly suffering from the eX-
isting unjust and excessive rates, IL Is
the purpose ~ the bureau to make clear
In every proper way that may b. con-
sidercd most effective. 1t viii then
simply rest with The people TO show by
their own works whether they want
reasonable rates on coal or not; hut
the purpose and volunteered duty OF
the bureau will have been fully pei
formed. The bureau Is earnestly seek
ing TO perform a valuable service for
the people. that is all, and II H. hoped
that its honest efforts will find COM
mendation through the appreciation
and approval of all good citizens.
Whether the prices OF the various
classes Of coal at the mines In this
state are too high or too low the bureau
has not undertaken. nor will IL under
take 10 say That question Is as for-
eign to the inclination as Il certainly
h beyond the power Of the bureau to
either interfere with or determine, and
must be left for solution by otseis
However II reasonable and unvarying
rates on coal are fixed by law. the de-
velopment of many additional coal
properties and the marketing OF great
or quantities OF coal viii naturally fol-
low. thus affording Independent coal
operators proper voice in determining
and fixing the mine price OF coal, now
largely in the hands OF subsidiary COM
moi ~ ~ 10 pa a.
which railways Judge Colborn from his
own statement appears 70 possess
saarled interest
QUESTION AS TO PRICES
Whether. also. the prices charged |
BIS the dealers In this city for the
handling and delivering OF coal, with
the various factors OF expense and ir-
regularity OF service involved, are eX-
cessive or not may at some future time
be made the subject OF investigation
hy the bureau; whercupon the neCes-
sary steps Will be taken I'm an attempt
to correct any wrong in that respect |
Ascortaincd to actually exist The es-
adjustment OF independent yards by
or through the agency Of the bureau |
might be found an effective remedy |
and II Is not at all doubtful that such |
a course will be pursued II warrant |
ed
The bureau has so frequently heard |
the threat that In the event OF local |
rates on coal being brought to a rea-
sonable basis the coal production of |
The state will be diverted TO other |
and. as alleged more profitable mar
kets. that lts repetition is becoming |
wcarisome II might be interesting to |
have somebody state just where those |
better markets are situated. which are |
capable Of absorbing the enormous
tonnage Of coal To be considered
WHERE POWER LIES
The people and business men OF the
entire state of Utah are not so ut
terly lacking In business acumen as
that silly threat might imply. They
posscss and control "a vast amount of
traffic. the great value Of
which 20 the railroads causes the
revenues derived from the local trans
portation ~ coal to shrink into CONE
parative insigniticance. They have also
yet to learn that they rest under any
compulsion to hestow II upon any !
particular railroad The railroad in
forests may Wen profit by this suggcs-
ton
Judge Colborn states that he is not a
man. which may account for
his emitting to state that, In the haul
ing Of native coal to this valley the
grade line Of the railroad chiefly
Is with the loaded car. not
against IL. and which Is well known
factor Of nrst importance in railroad
operation.
The Judge may he definitely assured
that the organization and work OF the |
bureau r. wholly without political in
.cnt or character. and that not one Of
lbs active members has the most re-
M otc ambition toward political pre-
fcrmeut Of any character. certainly
NJ none which could by any possibility
trace its origin Co the purpose and
work OF the bureau
NXe win soil -7Ntko foot ,yitt, N !