Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-28
COAL-owNING RAILROADS.

sylvania and other eastern states have
for years monopolized the coal pro-
duction Of the localities they operate
in, and have laid a heavy tribute upon
the consumers OF anthracite coal.
Of late years efforts have been made
! to divorce these railroads from the
ownership, control and operation of
coal mines, but thus far these efforts
have not met with appreciable success,
and the consumer Of anthracite coal is
still practically in railroad hands. and
/ suffering as a result
! are Illinois and other western states
destined TO be the victims of similar
monopoly Of the soft" or bituminous
coal of this section!
II begins to look like it.
Some Of the railroads traversing
Illinois and Indiana for a few years
past have been buying all the coal
rights" they could get.
1t is estimated these railroads now
own or control 423,5OO acres Of coal
rights in Illinois and Indiana. and are
constantly increasing their holdingsl
The people of these states are
sleeping supinely on their God-given
rights, while they are being robbed of
them by scheming corporations intent
on levying heavy tribute upon future
consumers of coal
Under such conditions the price of
this prime necessity Of human industry
and existence is bound to greatly in
crease. The monopoly will exact from
consumers all that the traffic will bear
This is the fate that stares in the
face the people Of Illinois with its
abundance of virgin coal, underlying
the vast area Of cOal-producing lands.
To prevent such a monopoly of coal,
railroads should be prohibited from
owning or in any way being interested
financially in the operation Of coal
mines or the sale Of coal; should be
prohibited from owning or in any way
I being interested in the ownership of
coal rights. and should be prohibited
from building or owning lines of rail-
road solely or principally for the trans
portation Of coal.
The Springfield Register thinks there
exists an example in Illinois of a rail.
road being built solely for the purpose
J. OF transporting coal.
II refers TO the Chicago & North,
D western line being built from Peoria
e through Sangamon and other counties
: TO the coal fields of southern Mscoupir
L county This road. the Register holds
. Is not intended for use as a passenger
/ or freight line nor in any way for the
convenience of the people of the terri
tory through which it is being built;
but is 10 be operated solely for the
@ transportation Of coal from mines
n which the c. & y. W. road owns or il
p, some way controls. which coal will be-
sold 70 consumers at far distant por
II tons of its vast system at the highes
d prices that can be exaCted-the rail
a- road in some manner 10 reap the lion.
share Of the profit from the sale of tn,
IS coal.
Il This may be called smart bushes!
e. enterprise but the Register contends
s 1t should not be permitted by law. II
st fact il should be prohibited under III,
IS severest possible penalty. The Regis
m ter continues:
y This coal road does not propose Il
IS compete for legitimate business. no
e even the coal business. Passing through
20 Sargamon and Macoupin counties. i
d. does not seek commercial centers no
10 provide for passenger service in tn
u interests Of the people 1t even passe
s. Springfield. the capital of the state
within two miles of the city limits
Of without as much as asking leave of tn
y county or state authorities. It crosse
IF farms and highways under the right O
7e eminent domain endangers more O
re- less the lives Of the people of the tel
Il ritory through which it passes, an
lr with consummate arrogance asks. b
It's acts If not in words, What are yo
going 10 do about it?
Have the people Of the state any r,
~ course? Can they stop the formatio
Of this coal monopoly which is bein
< organized and perfected before thei
to very faCes2
IN They have. They can. The legisl,
&C ture Of the state has full and ampl
as power to prohibit this kind of railroa
W building and use
ia But viii the legislature do this
That depends. So long as the Iegisl;
e tors carry pocketsful of passes over tn
u. roads which are perpetrating this an
e other outrages upon the people. and s
n long as jackpotters' can control LEI
e. islauon. no relief may be expected III
OF less the people and the press deman
Us in stentorian tones that these outrage
b be prohibited by laws that cannot /
p eyaded
be The State Register has referred
he this matter before II now calls publ
-e- attention TO it again, and gives fac
IL and figures TO arouse thinking poop
n TO the importance Of speedy action
" defense of their own rights to live an
III do business as free American citizen
of The barn OF the peoples rich
should be locked before the thieves
nd special privilege steal the goods store
m therein"
N