The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-26

me advantages OF Cooperation,
There car be no question that the
competitive system, when unrestrain-
ed, IS positively opposed to the policy
Of conservation. This is true alike
for minerals and timber, but in an
address only the briefest summary
of the facts a be made.
The minerals Of the earth, and here
are included not only the metallic min
erals but he carbon compounds, re-
quired the building of the earth for
their making. Mineral deposits are
doubtless in the process Of manufac-
ture at the present time; but even If
so, this Is at so slow a rate as to be
negligible. From the point of view of
mankind, the stores of minerals in
the earth are deposits Of definite
magnitude upon which we may draw
but once and which by no possibility
the beds Of coal. The situation in re-
gard to them is simrnilar to that of a
man who has a deposit in the bank
upon which he may draw, but cannot
by any possibility increase by a single
dollar. He is obliged to make his
existing bank account last throughout
his life. Similarly the banks Of coal
in the earth must last throughout the
life Of humanity.
In this connection il should be recog-
nized that modern civilization would
not be possible without the metals
no iron ships, no metal agricultural
implements, no tools, except those of
stone, no fuel but wood, no railways,
no instantaneous linking Of all parts
Of the world together through the
telephone and telegraph. Without the
mineral we would at once
return. to the material conditions Of
the stone age.
It is therefore incontrovertible, from
the point of view Of the human race
that economic systems or laws which
result in unnecessarily rapid use of
the mineral stores of the earth are
indefensible. The wastefulness of
the competitive system may be proved
with regard to every product which
Is taken from the earth. In an ad-
dress this cannot be done, but I shall
mention without arnpliication two or
three substances which illustrate the
truth of this position.
In Wisconsin and Missouri lead and
zinc are mined on a small scale under
the competitive system in an extreme
form. Here the, losses in wasteful
mining, imperfect concentration, and
in smelling amount to from IS to SO
per cent; in other words, only a little
more than one-half OF the metal in the
deposits reaches the market.
In contrast with subdivision of
holdings and the extreme competitive
system for lead and zinc, is the situa-
ton for iron ore in the Lake Superior
region. Here large holdings are the
rule and with these come clean min
ing. The losses in mining are upon
an average only about 10 per cent.
Earlier in the history of this region,
when the holdings were relatively
small, the losses were from IS to 40
per cent, ... .....u~ ..,.
But, the most important of the re-
sources Of the earth, SO far as the fu-
ture of the a C Is concerned, is coal,
Under the compelled competitive sys-
tenn losses are excessive. In the early
days Of mining not more than 80 or
40 per cent of the anthracite coal OF
the veins reached the market, making
a waste of from so to 20 per cent.
but in recent years with concentration
Of holdings, involving the introduction
of adequate machinery. these losses
have been greatly reduced.
At the present time. for bituminous
coal the enforced competitive system
in an extreme form exists. These
mines could produce two hundred
million o n more coal per ear than
AsS AV1AA0AANs y SAAS
Sherman Act the operators cannot CO.
operate in limiting output, DIVIDING
territory, or regulating prices. they
handle their mines so az to meet the
market conditions; this means the
mining Of the thicker veins in q
wasteful fashion, and neglect of the
thin veins in order to get coal to the
market at the lowest possible cost
II the operators could agree upon
limitation OF output, and division Of
the market, SO as to reduce freight
and could arrange for reasonable
prices which would give them no more
than their present proAts. they wouiC
then exploit coal conservatively; FOL
they themselves would be gamers il
~prolonging the life of their mines;
and. far more important, many fu'
ture generations would be the i'm.
measurable gamers In that they would
have an adequate coal supply.
For timber the same situation nov
exists as for bituminous coal. Elk
tre,ne competition has been enforced
through action against various lumber
manufacturers ana dealers associa,
tons. In consequence OF this thu
cutting of timber is now being car.
ried on 30 that the wastes in opera.
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