Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-23

conducting an unprecedented campaign
OF publicity in support of their respec-
tive attitudes. 1t is announced that the
coal mine operators have combined and
appropriated the sum Of S2,OOO,OOO to
finance their publicity. The organiza-
ton representing the employees Is not
so heavily financed, but it has suffi-
Gent funds to get the miners side be-
fore the public.
The fight Is on. 1t Is growing par
ticularly interesting between the coal
operators and the miners-and the re-
tailers. The miners are giving the pub
lie some inside figures on the actual
cost of mining coal, showing they are
not making as much money as they
We're fifty and twenty five years ago.
at which time coal was cheaper to the
public. Even the operators have adj
mitted in their advertising that the
cost of mining ton of coal Is only
$3.50.
But to explain the wide margain be-
tween $3.50 and what the consumer
pays and to relieve themselves Of the
charge of extortion the operators had
to submit an analysis of where the
consumers money went. This they
have done, and the rebuttal Is sudden
and vehement. The amount they
charged up to retailing COST has
brought rejoinder from the retail
tradew hich Is most convincing in its
details and puts it up to the coal oper-
ators to do a lot more explaining.
Again, the operators advertising, in
its effort to brighten the public into OPP
position to the miners demands, made
the assertion that If the demands of
b. 4
mean an advance of so cents ton in
the price Of coal to the consumer. But
by their own figures the increased la
Dor cost of a ton of coal under the new
scale asked by the miners would be
only Sc cents. Why then should the
public be mulcted out Of so cents-be-
cause the operators have to stand an
increase of only SO cents? Who gets
the difference of "a cents a ton which
IS added to the consumers coal bill
under the pretext that the increase in
miners wages has made such an in
crease necessary?
1t is predicted by those who know,
that after much agitation and threats,
the operators and miners will get to-
gether and settle their differences by
the miners getting a majority Of their
ately putting into effect substantial adj
vance in the price of coal. This is quito
likely. Most labor troubles Of magni-
tude. where the laboring classes are or
ganized, are settled that way these
days.
But where does the public-the ulti-
mate consumer in in such a set
Element? Where does the public come
in in nP 10 Of tbia
character? It really is the most inter-
ested party, because 1t is the party
which has TO pay the bills, yet 1t Is the
party least consulted. EVENT. ii goes
TO arbitration, the best the public can
expect is one representative out Of
three or Ave, the remainder of the arbi-
traitors being equally divided between
the contending parties. and usually
getting together over the head Of the
public's representative.
Why should not the public be repre-
sented on arbitration commissions by
three men, and each of the disputants
have one? This would guarantee each
side accurate presentation Of their case
but would leave the actual decision to
be made by the public's representa-
tives who are the real neutra1s as to
over. 1t would give that portion of So
ciety which is most interested the most
potent voice in settling such affairs.
LIBRARIES-HERE AND THERE.
flames Times.l
Some months ago. while travelling
between Minneapolis and Chicago, it
wes our pleasure to make the ac-
a yy,S1 ~ oil law ~,
who was travelling in the interests of
a high class lecture bureau. In the
course Of the conversation he made
this rather startling remark. Il judge
a town by its library" and then,
aware that he mad taken us off our
feet, added, the nature of my mission
requires the support OF a cultivated
and discriminating community When
I enter a city it is my invariable Gus
tom to drop into the city library. II
there is a used atmosphere about the
place; If the reading room is comfort
ably filled and the shelves well stacked.
! register at the first hotel If these
signs do not appear. I consult my
time table"
Did you ever look at your library
in this light? Did it ever occur to
yuu tIidt Tie Lstu
you can help create. to your great adj
vantage. may mold some favorable for
eign opinion? II is evident that the
citizens Of Ames are alive to the OPP
portunities for study and entertain
ment offered them by their splendid
little library but we will wager that
there are many who do not see the in
side Of this institution for months at
a time
Unbeknown to Miss Freed, we spent
a few moments recently Shopping"
thru the files Of magazines and shelves
of books. taking note of the visitors
and what they were reading. At one
table an old man was carefully adj
justing a pair Of spectacles before be-
coming absolutely Immersed in a mod
ern magazine Of science. He had trav-
eled many a year on LIES highway,
but yet thought 1t worth the while to
become acquainted with modern meth
DDS. and the library offered the -oppor-
tunity. At ANOTHER table Iittlk Miss
with perfectly adorable auburn cur1s
was deeply interested in a reference
book of huge proportions, and near by
a young man, apparently a follower Of
one Of the trades, was taking notes on
a soiled bit OF paper from book on
house constr uction. A stately matron
.l>.,-@oAH