The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1913-05-30
Coal Miners and Their Excuses.

Coal Miners and Their Excuses.
Last fall and winter, anthracite
coal advanced steadily in price from
month to month throughout the ter
ritory in which It is used The rea-
son given for the steady advance by
quarters, halves and whole dollars,
until the price per ton passed the 50
and threatened to reach the $40
mark, was that the strike I'm the
mines of the previous summer had
created a shortage While this strike
!. wAs on, and up TO the time OF It's set
tlement, the mine operators inisted
that the public need feel no anxiety
as to supply, because there was plen-
ty OF coal in stock. At intervals dur
ing the coal purchasing period the
operators assured the consumers that
II they would only be patient until
the miners had caught up with the
demand the prices would decline.
This. IN effect meant that n the
furnaces in the homes were allowed
20 go out and stay out until the win
ter was over, prices would be lower.
AS q matter of fact. there were no
reductions In the price of coal until
the coal buying season among house
holders was practically over. Those
who were compelled TO put I'm coal
this spring TO carry them over low
Temperature periods were able TO get
itat lower price than they paid for
ID I'm midwiuter. but the lowest price
was anywhere from two TO three dol
lars ton. we believe, in excess OF
what &c should be.
There was mo- attempt last year to
create the Impression that the an
thracite supply of the country is be-
ing rapidly exhausted, because the
public had become too we'll informed
to listen patiently 90 such nonsense.
The coal operators and the coal rail
loads. and their representatives. de-
~ led altogether upon the one exc
80. that, owing TO a strike, which
netted them several millions in prof
n. the supply was short. and that this
shortage for some mysterious reason
compelled them TO increase the price .
OF the consumer
There was doubht In many quar-
ters throughout the winter as to the
existence OF any real shortage II was
openly charged indeed. that the short
age was fictitious. The House of Rep
resetatlves at Washington undertook
an inquiry into the matter. but moth :
ing substantial came of IL. Now, how
'Aer. we have a report upon coal exc
bohatlons from the United States de-
paitnent OF commerce which shows
that darlnE'th the nine months ending
WITH March OF this year-that Is, dur
Ing the very period In which a short
age was reported by the Pennsylva-
MIA mine operator-3,3S3,l26 tons I
81 anthracite. valued at S1s,O31,093.
we're shipped out OF the country. eth a
sr for sale abroad or TO supply YES 8
iels engaged in the fereign trade.
While these S.3s3.l26 tons Of an
hracIte we're being delivered for ship
nent at the docks. the retail coal 7
Iards other than those controlled by D
y mines. and the small consumers. {
rere being placed on short and high S
priced rations.
Perhaps some plausible explana-
ion will be forthcoming But assum- o
ne that the extra session Of Congress c
ian snatch the time from the tariff :
md currency. It could hardly do any 7
hing that would give more general 5
public satisfaction than to take steps a
hat will IN the future render such y
plausible explanations unnecessary.
Christian ccience Mbnitor.