Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-13

AT margin OF 20 teu. cafes al Lne
fixed price would have led to a loss Of
Is cents a ton he said.
In closing his presentation OF evil
dence he said the figures were presented
TO the commission upon the assumption
that the commission would allow a rea-
sonable profit.
COAL RECEIPTS
BELOW NORMAL
Coal receipts, he said, In answering
question of Mr.. Young, we're at the pres
ent time below normal, yet better than
the same period for the previous year.
The high cost of coal. Mr.. Dalton said,
depends somewhat upon the present
shortage.
Attorney Frederick r. Matson stated
that the Indiana Retail Coal Merchants
Association expected TO submit suffi
cient evidence TO the commission TO show
that IL was necessary to tx a certain
price for a certain group OF retailers In
various sections OF the state, with the
assumption that when the evidence is
submitted the commission will act &C
cordingly.
, Mr.. Matson pointed out that Il was nee
essary to arrange in groups the retailers
who desired rehearings or notifications
Of the order TO expedite matters, and
otherwise the commission would be en-
gagged in hearing individual eases for
months, while no coal would be produce3
at the prices fixed In the meantime.
Petitions for rehearings from retail coal
merchants will be received by Mr.. Matson
and grouped by him, then presented "a
the commission for notifications.
Cases Of other retailers and wholesalers
are scheduled for Thursday.
PREPARED STATEMENT
SHOWS OPERATING COST.
In opening the hearing Mr.. Matson
read a long statement which be said
conveyed the views and opinion Of re-
tailers on the orders Of the special coal
land food commission.
/ Mr. Matson said the retailers were
united in their statement that the mar-
gin Of Is fixed by the commission did
not cover the actual cost Of operation,
10 say nothing OF allowing a profit
He declared that the retailers were
honest business men, and there was sno
reason to believe that as a class they
were less honest or less truthful than
other citizens. and that their statements
were entitled TO consideration.
He said that retailers had suffered
considerable losses, and were In no de-
gree responsible for the distressing coal
situation, yet were as anxious as the
consuming public that an adequate sup
ply OF coal be made quickly available.
Competition will prevent unfair retail
profits, the same as in other lines Of
business" stated Mr.. Matson.
ARGUES DEALERS
HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS.
Other statements made by Mr.. Matson
follow in part: "This Is the flrst time In
the history of the country that COM
modify of ordinary commerce has been
taken ont of the field Of competition and
the prices fixed for the merchant.
ut is also the first time where any
public commission has undertaken arbi-
trarily to fix a price generally and with
out regard to conditions Ideal and indi-
yidual to the concern furnishing the
thing for which the price is fixed.
"a comparison Of rate-fxing powers
and methods of the Public Service Com
mission. with that of the coal commission,
were shown by Mr.. Matson in his re-
marks, after which he said that indi-
viduaI concerns only were governed by
the fixed price.
"No rate is ever fixed which. will drive
an existing concern out Of business, but
the right to continue in a business al
ready established is and must always
be recognized.
Never before has a commission I'M
dertaken to fix fiat rate applying alike
to every community in all parts Of the
state, and alike to all individual con-
Germs without regard to the various CON
ditions under which they are doing
business"
Refusal of certain Indiana mine oper-
ators to furnish coal to Indiana whole
salers and retailers, and the failure OF
the Indiana special coal and food COM
mission members to "get together" for
a conference has developed a crisis in
the present coal situation.
! Aside from a few exceptions, mine
operators will not put their product or
the market at the prices fixed by the
coal commission, 1t is said.
Wholesalers and retailers state they
have quit handling Indiana coal, as they
cannot operate on the margins OF profit
allowed
DEALERS SELLING AT
FIXED PRICES SWAMPED.
Some dealers have Indiana mine run
| TO sell at So and 1878 a ton, a price
higher than that fixed by the commits
sion, but the same dealers explain it
is contract coal they have for sale, and
no more is to be secured at the new
prices.
The Linton mines are furnishing coal
at the new prices to a few local dealers
and orders are swamping the offices Of
the wholesalers and retailers
Chairman Jesse Eschbach \of the spe-
cial coal and food commission, Governor
Goodrich and State Auditor Rrauss will
meet at some time in the near\future, If
Governor Goodrich and Auditor KLAUS
can spare the time for the session.
The purpose Of the meeting Gas ez-
| planned By Chairman Eschbach is. to de-
! termine q course Of action onN cases