Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-03-17
ANTnRACITE COAL PRICES

the writer to OtIF Letter Column i'll
one Of last weeks issues Of The Sun
have been given an unpleasant sur
prise recently lin learning that the war
Is not over so far as the prices of
anthracite coal are concerned Hav-
Ing laid IN this winters coal supply
last spring, last summer or early last
fall, they had not kept their eyes on
the coal market, and had assumed
that prices would not advance any
further this year. even II they did not
fall. Peace, however, has its horrors,
ii seems. as we'll az war and the
householder wakes from his dream Of
TN arinistice with the coal barons To
find that their peace terms are even
worse than their war terms. With
grades of hard coal over sl2 ton,
the ultimate consumers. who are al
ways the ultimate goats, once more
ask themselves, Where DO We go from
here?s And they begin TO repeat again
the doleful ditty, How doth the busy
proflteer improve each hour. whether
II he shining or rainy, hot or cold
Tie explanation given that in
crease lii mine wages Is responsible
for the increase IN prices. and for the
additional 10 or is cents per ton which
are to be imposed from May for flye
months straight ahead carries neith-
er conviction nor comfort to the mil
lions upon whom this surtax Is To be
levied. Governor sproul. Of Penn
syIvania. u among those who are not
satisfied with the answer, as shown
By his recent inquiry OF the Attorney
General whether che State has nu-
tllority to Investigate the increase IN
anthracite coal prices, ant his dec
laration that he was prepared To rec
oramend sllch an investigation to the
Legislature. Governor sproul points
out that some of the mines are On
short time due to slackening demand,
and he says he lis at loss to under
stand the commercial or economical
Justification for higher charges under
present conditions
Fortunately for the average man.
spring and warmer weather are At
hand. and no can indulge the hope that
before next fall some sort of rescue
expedition may be organized for his
tcnett IL IL more Or less doubtful
whether II will come by way OF Penn
sylvailisl, but 1t Is not impossible that
II may come 81 way 81 Washington.
So far as mere facts are involved. no
further elaborate investigation would
seem Id re necessary. after the two
volumes Of testimony taken By the
Manufactures Committee OF the SEN
ate. No formal report was made ID
the last session. but Senator varda.
man, chairman of The committee, made
4 statement Iii the closing hours 81
Congress which has attracted wide at.
tention Senator Vardanlan declared
that the testimony submitted 10 the
committee showed that ~ per cent
Of the production from tho anthracite
coal territory Is controlled by eight
transportation companies, that most
Of this coal land ii owned hy these
transportation companies or their sub
salaries In fee. and that enotwith-
standing tho fact that the Constitu-
ton of Pennsylvania prohibits trans
portation company from engaging III
mining. these transportation eoInpan-
les are IN this business az not onIy
Transporting this coal but 81 mining
II Excessive royalties paid ~ les
sees or operating companies to own.
ers of mining lands add to the con-
sumeTs burdens. as does what Sena-
tor vardanlan asserts Is the deliberate
policy Of leasing coal land and holding
Il nnworked. 10 as To keep down out.
put and keep up prices Another fac
tor in the situation Is the systematic
efTDrts Dc the controlling transp0rta.
tion companies and their allies To
suppress business rivals and make
II impossible Tor independent opera.
tors 10 compete with them on any fail
basis Senator vartiaman's con.
cluaion from all the facts before his
committee wRs that there is no COM
modify III common use that ii 50 alb
solutely monopolized as anthracite
coal production, and there ia no com
modify upon which there II SUCH j
high rate 81 tolls paid for the carrying
of the same.
After our experience with Govern
meat war control of raflroada. many
persons viii dlsagfee with Senator
Vardanaan iii thinking II unfortunate
that the Federal Constitution il %