Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-08-24
About Prices How
About Coal?

VI VI JOlll1llS IN
.istic baiters of "big business" there
is too much truth in it to permit it's
use fer these purposes.
Unfortunately The ruling operators
have not yet been cured of their bug
that we ought to have "twenty-dol-
Jar coal" in this country. They so
little appreciate the situation that
they imagine it is only smatter OF
educating" the people into the habit
of paying twenty dollars.
To this end they have not turned
their hand over to apply shy of the
economics or efficiencies that would
enable them to put coal within the
reach of the people at a price which
would not mean actual pinching to
the. purchaser.
They have failed utterly as bust
ness men; they have failed utterly to
appreciate the fact that they hold
their monopoly only on sufferance;
they have lived, as it were, in a dark
possibility that in these days it would
be a comparatively easy matter to
strip them of control of their mo-
nopoly and turn coal mining over
to men who think of something be-
side extortion.
The coal operators could sell coal
cheaper if freight rates were lowered,
but they don't want freight rates
lowered because that would give the
public a taste of lower freight rates.
The matter of freight rates as
well as coal prices is a. matter of OPP
erative efficiency, which the con-
trollers of coal have not exhibited;
they prefer to take the differences out
of the peoples pocket instead of out
of their W managerial brains.
It is extremely doubtful if the peo-
Die of the United States will consent
longer than another winter to endure
the backing and filling Of people
who speculate in coal mines instead
of mining COAL.
But that the people will probably
have to feed the pinch another win
ter is fairly certain, if certain "un-
derstandings" between coal opera
tors and certain members of the adj
ministration are faithfully observed.
1t is commonly reported among the
upper four hundred of the coal trade
thai two members of President Har
ding's administration have assured
the coal operators that there will be
no reduction of freight rates on. coal
before April, 1922.
The reason given for that assu-
rance is this: certain forehanded
operators had stored stocks of coal
at various places, having transported
it under the going freight rate. To
decrease the freight rates now would
be to allow their competitors to sell,
if not at a lower price, then at a
larger profit.
Therefore, because a few dealers
have some hundreds of thousands of
tons of coal here and there upon
which they have paid a certain rate,
it is agreed that the whole 10000
600 people of the United States will
Ebe denied the relief that a freight
rate reduction might give.
That the coal dealer who shipped
early shall make as much profit as
the dealer who would ship if the
freight rates were reduced now, the
entire United States will be held up
another winter.
That was a virtual promise made
by two members of President Hard
ing's administration.
Make it a matter of Arithmetic:
from 10000, 900 subtract the few
thousand coal dealers: if you only
buy and burn coal, you don't count
in this coal arrangement.
Subtract from the 100000 ex-
service men the few thousand coal
dealers: if you have only your life to
offer, you don't count in this coal
arrangement.
"Whom the Gods would destroy
they first made mad" The coal op-
orators are conducting themselves as
did the liquor dealers before prohi-
bition swept down and swept them
away-with a total disregard of pub
lie sentiment and public needs.
The only possible justification
there a be for a few men control
ling a natural like coal is
that they administer it always in the
best interest of the people.
Tha justification has been en-