The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-12
Capper Charges Dealers Fore
ing Excess Profit Prices.
Protests to Garfield, Saying
Kansas Has Been Penalized.
MINERS, RETAILERS COMBINE
That in Face of Government
Orders Controlling Prices.
Situation in Topeka Incidental
With That Over State.

Kansas is being penalized rather
than benefited under the government
system of fixing coal prices. That was
the text of a lengthy protest which
Governor Capper sent to Harry A.
Garfield, federal fuel administrators
in which the governor charged that
dealers in this state have forced ad-
vances in prices to consumers in spite
of the federal orders. Simultaneous
with the protest against Kansas CON
ditiOns, Emerson Carey, OF hutcnln-
son. state fuel administrator, called
his advisory board together Tor
meeting in Hutchinson Saturday morn
ing.
That Kansas will go into the fuel
problem Immediately, was Indicated
in the attitude of both Governor Cap
per and Administrator Carey. The
governor made clear today that the
machinery of the state government
would be set in action in an effort to
force a reduction in prices and a
breaking of the alleged illegal com
bination of dealers. This comblna-
ton. state house circles reported to-
day, may involve both retailers and
producers
Manipulation at Scott City.
Advances during the last few days
of prices to consumers in many sec
tions of the state occasioned the gov
ernor's protest to Garfield Topeka
has not been the only city to suffer as
a result of alleged mbinations and
agreements. In his letter to Garfield,
the governor cited conditions at Scott
City, where prices have within the
last few days been advanced from IS
TO 50 a ton in spite of the Garfield
orders as affecting prices at mines
and profits of retailers.
Definite action looking to an in
vestigation of conditions in many
towns is expected in Hutchinson Sat
urday morning when Administrator
Carey meets with members of his
newly appointed state advisory COM
mittee H. C. Danner, state free en-
ployment agent, was today notified by
Carey that he had been appointed as
a member of the advisory commit
tee and was urged to attend Satur-
days meeting. Danner will leave for
Hutchinson tonight
Outline State Course.
The Hutchinson meeting is expect
ed to outline the course of the state
and federal government in the cam
paign for control of coal production.
distribution and prices to retailers. 1t
is believed that Carey'S committee will
make immediate arrangements for
special government representatives at
all Kansas mines and that distribu-
tion of all fuel will be directed by
Carey under orders from Garfield.
Action will not stop with regulation
of production and distribution, it is
declared. Reports in the state house
today indicate Immediate state and
government action looking to a probe
of conditions in many towns. The
situations in Topeka and Scott City are
declared to be merely Incidental and
are only links in a chain of conditions
pointing to the alleged existence of a
combination of dealers possibly in
spired and supported by producers.
The Governors Letter.
The governors letter, protesting
against the Kansas situation, follows
Hon. Harry A. Garfield U. S. Commis
sioner Washington. ID. c.
1 regret very much the necessity whicl
compels me to call your attention to tn,
extremely unsatisfactory condition of tn,
retail coal market in the state of Kans1 $
A careful inquiry has developed no justi
ficatiOn for the prices now prevailing
While l realize fully. believe, the Difficult
ties under which you must labor in per
forming the burdensOme duties you hay,
undertaken. / am. nevertheless. obliged Il
acquaint you with the fact that pEolonget
delay on the part of the federal govern
ment in giving our people the relief the,
tCoutipueu on Page Twol