The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-09
N0RTHDAK0TA
Flu ELL. PRICES
INVESTIGATED.
Present Classifications May BE
Changed If Injustice Is g
Discovered ,a.s. i. r..
COMPLAINTS ARE INVITED

"The regulation of coal prices by.
he fuel administration is the first
attempt ever made, on a large scale,
by the United States government to
fix and establish prices for any OF the
great industries says Capt, l.. r.
,'aker, federal fuel administrator for
North Dakota, today in discussing
complaints received from one or two
ignite fields. charging that the price
established for their produce is not
equitable. 90, ~ t,t
1T is very important to both the
public and the coal industry that the
prices so fixed should be based on
accurate information as to conditions
prevailing in different fields, and that.
when once this information has been
received, the right principles should
'e employed In making use o. this
r. .''>. NJ, g n
The fuel administration believes
continued Capt. Baker. that it has de-
7ised a speedy and accurate method
'or using the cost Information which
t has In hand, and that it has worked
out the fundamental principles which
should guide it in considering apblica.
ions for notifications Of coal prices.
1T has been the Purpose of the fuel
administration to announce decisions
IN all applications for price revisions
low before it, prior to April /, 1918,
nd prior to that time, to make such
hange in the classifications as seem
be necessary, In order to relieve un.
'ertainey on this score as far as pos.
sible before the beginning of the new
coal year. = n... ..as,.....;.@-,2 ...,-.
by this statement, the fuel admin
stration does not wish to be under
TODD as stating that the examination
If prices now, being made in North
Dakota will complete it's price work.
On the contrary, the administration
will continue to collect and study facts
elating to the cost of producing coal
Ind the prices at which it is sold. 1t
I'll make such further readjustments
rom time to time as are necessary to
.eep the prices on scale fair to the
public, fair to the coal Industry, and
sufficiently high to encourage; pro-
luctions' 1t :. hopes, also, to, take
measures I'M the very. near future to
encourage and insist upon, the use of
ess wasteful methods Of mining; the
sale Of clean coal, and more definite
recognition aof the different Qualities
u coal lin the governments price
.chedules." ~. 49, !, >::3~s; ~ II. ,9lt,,+
On the WHOLE Capt. Baker reports,
COMPLAINTS from either producer or
consumer have: been rfratifyingly few
4 North Dakota. s. . - -
Since the first of last week., North
Dakota jobbers and Wholesale dis
,lrfbutors Of coal have had a recog.
lied place in the fuel machinery. OF
,orth Dakota. Some time ago." said
apt: l.. P. Baker, today, "The United
tates fuel administration announced
Few regulations governing the bust
less Of jobbers' after April W. Vari.
JUS abuses had sprung up under the
Id system, which rendered change
, necessary }. Among these abuses was
he organization Of affiliated compan.
esfi solely for the purpose OF collect.
ng the jobbers' margin; the swapping
II coal, and other fictitious trade oper.
ltiOns, all of which made the coal
mere expensive when it finally reach
ID the consumer. = ~..'*
1.-THE fuel administration has recog.
lized the jobber as essential to the
conduct OF the coal business, and it
las undertaken to determine the hest
means Of assuring him a reasonable
compensation for his services, while
1t the same time preventing improper
practices. The fuel administration dis.
claims any intention OF eliminating
joobers. 1t recognizes their omport.
ance to the trade. In accordance with
these announcements, the president
has proclaimed the licensing OF lob.
'bers in the coal trade, and regulations
to carry out his plan have been
adopted. -. -is1=lm..t,s
r. under these regulations, which be.
came effective Monday, the jobber
may as heretofore purchase and re-
sell coal for his own account When
he acts in this capaciy, his profit is
limited only by the regulation that
he may not sell at any price In excess
OF the government mine price, and
that he may not make any other
profit, directly or Indirectly on coal
purchased for his own account.
ION the other hand, performing his
function OF rendering services to the
consumer or retail dealer in procuring
coal, he may, when he has been auth
orized by the. dealer or consumer,
buy for them at any price not in ex-
cess of the government mine price;
and those who choose to employ him
for this purpose may compens safe him
by paying him a purchasing commits
sion not to exceed in any case the
reasonable limit fixed in the regula-
tons as the maximum compensation
for that service. In this transaction,
re may not make any. profit directly
or indirectly other than his purchasing
commission These commissions are
Is cents on bituminous COAL 30 cents
on anthracite coal and cents on the
delivered price of smithing cOal,''