The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-12-12
CONSUMER PAYS THE BILL


served
CONSUMER PAYS THE BILL
Today comes the cheering( p bu'
not surprising news that the IA pei
cent increase in wages paid to the
miners will be added to the price OF
coal to the consumer We had beer
"jollied along" by the professional
politicians, with the assurance thta
mot one cent will be added to the
price of coal as result of the in
crease in wages to the miners, but
this will be taken from the profits of
the coal mine operators"
The strike was called off by the
miners with the agreement that they
are to have ID per cent increase IN
wages. The people began to rejoice.
Now, today, comes the announcement
that "Bituminous coal contracts pro-
viding that the operators may add to
the contract price the full amount OF
any increase in miners wages, will
not be set aside in the case of the IA
per cent increase granted in the strike
settlement"
This of course, means that we were
simply being "jollied' by Fuel Adj
ministrator Garfield and Attorney
General Palmer in the statements
that mot one cent increase to the con-
sumner of coal will be allowed" And
this recalls story that fits here.
A young man had taken his best
girl to entertainment after entertain
ntent until he had almost reached his
last dollar. They were at show. The
young man, worn out from much loss
of sleep, began to doze A young
woman on the stage, repeating her
part, shouted, cts the woman who
always pays and pays and pays"
The young man woke up. He heard
the words of the actress. Visions of
the money he had squandered on the
girl arose before him and, rising in
his seat he said: Madam, I'd like to
argue that question with you"
When they tell US that the coal
mine operators OF any one else but
the dear public pay the bills, we feel
like the young man and want to
"argue the question with them"
Associated Press dispatches bring
the news that President Wilson has
dispatched another sharp note to
Carranza on the oil situation in
Mexico We are also told that this
is the 'steenth" note sent to Car
rama to which that bewhiskered in
dividual has not deigned to reply. |
The "sign language is the
only language that Caranza can I'M
sierstand and he should be spoken to
in that language. Just send General
,Pershing with 100000 American SOL
diers who served with him in France,
to Mexico City and the United States
will get any thing it asks from
Mexico
h "a -
The coal operators declare that eve
and the public have been delivered
into the hands of the miners" The
coal miners declare that "the strike
is not settled for there has been no
of our grievances but we
are returning to work temporarily I'M
til an adjustment that will be fair to
labor can be made" And the great
of common people, who had
nothing to say about the calling or
the ending of the strike, or the adj
justment between the two gangs of
profiteers goes ahead paying the
bills and doing less grumbling than
either the miners or operators, both
If whom have been profiteering DUR
ng and since the war.
Ia "a H
A Spokane fuel dealer has been ard
,ested for selling coal by the sack at
rom $50 to $28 per ton,X and cheat
ng in weight, at that. People who
NY csal by the sack are people who
annot afford to buy by the ton and
man that would rob such people
uring coal shortage, with such
veather as has been prevailing this
inter would commit almost any |
ind of crime. It is hoped this man,
guilty, gets the limit of the law
Portland schools are closed because
I an epidemic of small pox in the