COAL - Clpdigital.org

26 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
could be fairly so construed. lie has simply de­
clared that his interests will have none of any
meeting which may attempt to fix the operators'
wage stand in advance of the joint interstate con­
ference of mineis and operators next year, his
very commendable reason being that it is im­
portant that both sides go uninstructed to the con­
ference so as to avoid such deadlocks as at the
conference of 1904, it lieing unfair for the opera­
tors to establish a wage stand and expect the
miners to meet them uninstructed. Whilst erro­
neous newspaper inferences on the Chicago con­
ference have developed a tempest in a teapot, Mr.
Reese's letter is reproduced in full liecause it
serves to put down some mistaken impressions.
* * *
LAXITY WHICH PERVADES MODERN BUSINESS is
brought out forcibly liy the $101,000 theft of a
trusted employe of a big express company.
It seems strange that in the light of the history
of such crimes business men take so many
chances, both on one man and upon the people at
large. They are quick to shut down upon an
old customer whose credit is shaky. They rob
themselves of rest and pleasure thinking out
small savings and retrenchments, and ofttimes
go to the utmost extremes to safeguard the dollar
on its best-protected side. On the other hand, a
sum equal to a year's earnings is entrusted to
one or two men to transport through unsettled
country to a pay office; similar sums are left in
the custody and control of individuals whose sup­
posedly incorruptible honesty is the only protec­
tion; and again fortunes in cash beyond the abil­
ity of 98 per cent, of all the men in the world to
acquire in a lifetime are fearlessly entrusted to
the common carriers. It is said that every man
has his price, however high, or of whatever na­
ture. .The lave-oX.money is inherent. Men risk
their lives to acquire small sums. Is it then to
be wondered at that the opportunity occasionally
proves too much for individual morality? The
lesson is plain. There should be suincient for­
mality in connection with the transfer of money
and portable property of great value to make it
impossible for one man or two men to steal it, and
the transmission liy any available means of an
amount of money or valuables equal to or exceed­
ing the average private fortune should lie a matter
of sufficient importance to warrant an arineu
guard capable of furnishing adequate protection.
* * *
FURNACE COKE is REPORTED SELLING FKEKI.Y for
next year's delivery al $2.50 to $2.00 tne ton. This
is appreciably better than current quotations.
Coke underlies the great iron and steel industry
and the strength of prices for future delivery is
indicative of conditions and promise in that line
of trade. When iron and steel are prosperous
the country is prosperous. It is enough said.
• LONG WALL BRUSHINGS. •
"I am not very familiar with electrical matters
and their technique, and as I am not sensitive
about learning, don't be afraid to go ahead and
explain anything." remarked Judge Buffington,
with a smile at the attorneys in the United States
court, Pittsburgh, recently. The case was that
of the General Electric Co. vs. the Garrett Coal
Co. for alleged infringement on patents. The
attorney for the Electric Co. was starting his ar­
gument and before long was winding his argument
through a labyrinth of electrical terms in which
amperes, ohms, volts, multiple, series and similar
words were comparatively common.
The newspapers of Wales have not yet ceased
to discuss the bad features connected with the sale
of the coal mines of Great Britain and Ireland to
German capitalists. One of the newspapers as­
serts that coal mines are even more important to
the British empire than navy yards, and that the
next thing that may be expected is the announcement
that the admiralty has disposed of the navy
yards to the German government.
— o —
Fuel. Chicago, says: "The able editorial writer
who cannot evolve something on the coal strike
just now would lose his job. So he tnunders, and
that is about all that he can do—just thunders."
— o —
Over in Massachusetts they think they may make
good with peat, and yet there is no special scar­
city in coal—coal, not cars, regardless of the suggestion
of the jingle.
— o —
Betimes all the world is at peace on the coal
question, regardless of newspaper furore. Hope
it keeps up "till forbid" after April 1.
Pittsburgh produces a man who walked away
witli $100,000 in currency. Good thing it wasn't
in coal!