El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-06-21
The Coal Proposition

A local coal dealer has made a very in
teresting proposition today, published In
this paper, whereby sixteen cars of coal
and a large quantity Of wood can be pur.
chased in a lump at the cash price, If ono
customer will take II. The Chamber OF
Commerce is ascertaining the feasibility of
the community acting as this customer.
The retailer has really made a handsome
proposition, it appears. But he criticises
this newspaper rather strongly for having
agitated the coal cost question. 1t Is un.
derstood other retailers are displeased at
the agitation. 1t has always been the case
that public complaint at the rise in price
of such a commodity is regarded as a direct
reflection upon some individual engaged in
selling it. This, of course, is not the case.
Mr.. Proebstel feels that the New Mexican
should not kick on the addition Of O dollar
a ton to the coal price because it doesn't
know the facts. The main fact, however, is
that with coal mines close by, Santa Fe
consumers must pay an unreasonable price
and have been paying unreasonable prices
for some time past. This is the fact that
rises up and hits you In the eye. BY max.
ing this fact sufficiently prominent it is
DOuuu W CliSit q lOb W II ludtf6t. AiTtduy
it has brought out the statement from a re-
taller that he has to pay the railroad for a
ton more coal than he receives. One ton
accounted for-$7.75 or $40 located, one
third of the additional cost of a car load.
Not bad for a start. Also the New Next
cans ignorant objection to Shaping on an
other dollar has brought out a valuable sug-
g~estion for supplying the community with
coal at the old price.
If this discussion can be kept alive, there
is no telling what other interesting data
may be unearthed. No one charged the re.
tailers with holding up the public. They
may be victims as well as the consumer.
But if 1t Is inevitable that the price of coal
must be kept rising a dollar a throw, the
public at least has a right to know WHY.
A lot Of things that seem inevitable il you
sit passive may not appear so when you
commence to investigate.
The American people and the people of
New Mexico are confronting the greatest
economic emergency in this history. Ev.
cry dollar must be made to count. We
have to save every dollar we can. Commu-
mites are acting together to reduce the cost
of living and to increase production. II
there is a way for community action to
Tighten the burden on the individual it
should always be taken advantage of. 1t
is the duty of every newspaper to aid this
campaign in every possible way. We be-
lieve the New Mexico coal consumer, in
one of the great coal-producing states of the
Union, has never had a square deal. This
may be Grass ignorance, but it is neverthe-
less a conviction. We are blaming no one;
but the public has a right to find out why.
Some time ago the newspapers which
roared about the cost Of print paper were
said to be talking recklessly with no knowl-
edge Of the facts. The roar brought forth
the facts-and the paper makers asked to
be let off as easy as possible. Merely indi-
eating that what is doesn't always nave to
be, and that the best way to get the facts
is to ask why. And if no one is ever allowed
to ask why, the roof is the limit.