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JULY, 192,1
The Commoner
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Big Lobby Fights Against Coal Bills
A Washington dispatch to the New York Times,
dated Juno 26 says: The charge that the Nation
al Coal association, representing the bituminous
industry, the Anthracite Coal Operators associa
tion, the American Wholesale association, the
National Retail Coal Merchants association and
various state and regional coal organizations
have united in "one big union" to defeat pend
ing legislation for the regulation of the coal in
dustry, was made public today by Senator Fre
linghuysen of New Jersey.
The purpose of the "ono big union," Senator
Prclinghuysen asserted, is "to continue the
stranglehold on the necks and purses of the coal
buyers" of. the country.
There are two coal bills now before the Sen
ate, of which Senator Frelinghuysen is tbe
author. One bilL gives the Interstate commerce
Commission authority to make seasonal rates
for the purpose of encouraging early buying,
as well as lessening the price of coal, while the
other bill gives the government the power to
compel publicity of ail facts connected with the
coal business which are considered to be in the
public interest.
Senator Frelinghuysen now declares that
these coal organizations, representing hundreds
of millions of dollars of capital, are bombarding
congress, with literary fusillades, which con
tain, as he expressed it, "an atom of fact and a
ton of misrepresentation."
"For the last week," said Senator Freling
huysen today, "two coal bills introduced by me
have been before the Senate. They will again
come up lor consideration tomorrow. As this
is a supremely inmportant question in
volving the happiness, the "health, indeed, the
very life of the public, the country should un
derstand what this fight means If these bills
are defeated, tragedy next fall and winter, in the
nature of a coal famine, worse than ever experi
enced before, is inevitable. The fact is, owing
to existing conditions, I doubt if the tragedy can
be averted. But we can prevent a second tragedy
a year later.
. - "FUSILLADES" ON CONGRESSMEN
"There are four nationwde organizations' of
coal men. First, there is the National XJoal as
sociation confined to the bituminous trade, with
elaborate headquarters in Washington. Then
comes the Anthracite Coal Operators' associa
tion, located in Philadelphia. Next is the Amer
ican Wholesale Coal association, with extensive
offices at the capital. Then we have the National
Retail Coal Merchants' Association, operating
from Philadelphia. Then there aro many state
and regional organizations.
"For the purpose of defeating the pending
and all other coal legislation these various
bodies, representing hundreds of millions of dol
lars of capital, have united in one big union, so
to speak, to continue their stranglehold on the
necks and purses ot the coal buyers.
"During the last two weeks, since the recent
conference of Secretary- Hoover and Secretary
Fall, the junior senator from New York, myself
and other officials anxiously seeking a solution
of the coal problem, these combined organiza
tions have unmasked their batteries and are
attacking with a violence almost unprecedented
the very practical piece of legislation now be
fore the Senate. Every senator and every repre
sentative has been subjected to voluminous lit
erary fusillades, each containing an atom of fact
and a ton of misrepresentation. Indeed, the
whole purpose of this coal lobby is to throw dust
in the eyes of the Senate and the public. Thia
it can do only by misstatements and misquota
tions. ''There is not a 'scintilla of truth in certain
of the allegations of these men. The charge that
this legislation in the faintest degree aims at
government operation or control is a delusion
dhd a fraud. I am opposed, as I have hereto
fore said, to legislation of. that scopa and never
will agree to it, unless these men, by the'r ob
structive tactics, make it imperatively necessary.
The sole purpose of this bill is to establish com
plete and prompt publicity in the departments
tf Secretary Hoover and Secretary Fall with re
gard to production, stocks, storage and prices
at the mines, in transit and in the final retail
market.
"The 'operators haye always claimed that it
was not they who got the big profits. They
have contended that- their own profiits were
normal arid reasonable. UVIy own inclination has
been to agree with them, to a considerable ex
tent at least. Now, however, in view of their
present crusade of misrepresentation concern
ing the real purpose of the legislation and the
real purpose of myself and tboso who have
aided in shaping these bills I am disposed to be
lieve they have never been sincere and have
never told the truth regarding the operators'
profits. If they resort to deceit in one particular
they will do likewise in anotber.
"As an illustration of the grotesquely inac
curate and misleading nature of this propa
ganda of the coal people, take this hectic fulml
nation of the American Wholesale Coal associa
tions 'We need not be blind to the plight of the
nation which surrenders to Bolshevism. Wo
have . but to study Russia.' Imagine such a
diatribe, simply because we are trying to or
ganize a bureau, not to operato mines, but to
collect statistical figures.
"This same body flippantly alludes to those
who stand for legislation protecting the public
from further highway robbery in this coal busi
ness as a 'small group of senators.' God forbid
that the time shall ever arrive when the mem
bership of this body inclined to oppose 'the plans
and purpose of lobbyists of this bombastes
furioso type In the interests of the public wel
fare shall become 'a small group of senators.'
"I am rpposed to the attempt to kill this Ieg
islationby sending it back to the committee. We
have devoted nearly two years to our work of
investigation. We have held many" meetings
and heard practically all interests. The public
is tired of investigations. If further inquiries
are made let them be made by government of
ficials authorized to act under the provisions of
this legislation, duly enacted ' into law. . The
public wants action. It demands results.
"If these high salaried lobbyists now fighting
in the last ditch, defeat this bill or even post
pone it, then the deluge may come to them
sooner than they think. The public is long
Buffering, but it will not suffer forever.
"I say to these men, if they succeed in their
present purpose through the propaganda they
have inaugurated a future congress will not
treat them with the same degree of leniency that
characterizes the measure introduced by mv.
An outraged public will deman'd more drastic
legislation."
Concerning Senator Frelinghuysen's state
ments generally, an officer of the National Coal
association said:
"The National Coal association has through
its representatives, expressed its entire willing
ness to submit to the government through Sec'y
Hoover or any other, official, all statistics and
data relating to the production, cost and sales
prices relating to the production of bituminous
coal. This willingness has been imparted to
Secretary Hoover, Secretary Fall and other gov
ernment officials. The bituminous coal indus
try is anxious for the people to know the exact
facts as to, the 'production of coal.
"We areNin entire sympathy with any move
by which the government may ascertain the
facts as to the industry, but under the Freling
huysen stabilization bill the method of ascer
taining information is not consistent with the
liberty which private bus'nes ordinarily expects.
The Frelinghuysen stabilization bill goes much
further than the" mere submitting of statistics,
In effect it would enable the government to regu
late the very industry itself. It would be, , ac
cording to the admissions of senators who are
supporting the bill, the opening wedge of gov
ernment control over the industry.
''The bituminous coal industry is concerned
only in seeing that the public has its coal. No
further legislation is necessary to accomplish
this."
THE SACRIFICIAL POLITICIANS
A' very interesting contribution to the political
his'tory of the state would be furnished if Arthur
Mullen and Senator Hitchcock and a few others
who are constantly being held up to as having
sacrificed much for Mr. Bryan only to be scorned
by him when they sought office at his hands
would take the time to set down in black and
' white just what those sacrifices consisted of and
when and where they were performed. Men
who think they have a thoroughly familiar ac
quaintance with Nebraska politics have a very
.firm conviction that If it hadn't been fo'r Bryan's
long, time prominence in Democratic politics
most of those gentlemen who pose as victims
of this Moloch would have been little hoard of.
Wo may ascribe to thorn the highest qualities
of head and heart that thoir friends may claim
for them, but Bryan, by his ability to gathor
the radicals and progressives of the state under
ono banner for a number of years, made it
possible for them to reap whatever glory and
office they have secured. Before hla advent the
Democratic party of the state played second
fiddle In every election. Its leadorahipwas mado
up of men who derived their principal power
from tho same source as the Republicans, the
general offices of tho railroads, and they won no
offices or victories. Bryan opened tho doorof
office to many Democrats in the state, and 'ho
was the peerless leador until ho went dry. Then
tho Mullens and Hitchcocks, following tho po
litical spoor of the breweries and uniting with
them on a well understood contract of quid pro
quo, opened up another era of office to their
kfnd of Democrats. Lincoln, Nebraska, State
Journal (Republican).
tf
MR. BRYAN IN NEW YORK
(Utica Press, June 27.)
Invited to this city by tho Y.- M. C. A., and
introduced by Robert D. Fraser as a "statesman,
scholar and Christian gentleman," William Jen- -".l
nings Bryan addressed an audience in the Cen- .
tral M. E. church last evening.
The subject of his address was "Where Ar,o
the Nine?" From this biblical passage, re
lating to the story of the 10 lepers who were -healed
by Christ, the nine of whom slunk away
without a word of thanks, the speaker drew tho
lesson of the lack of appreciation which is
such1 a predominating characteristic of the peo
ples of today.
The main, things the famous statesman ad
vocated, the national and international reforms
he expressed himself unqualifiedly in favor
of are:
The education of every child in tho wholo
world;
A more vital appreciation of the church and
its work in developing larger hearts and Trigger
consciences;
Tho adoption of the Bible plan of universal
brotherhood;
An intelligent appreciation of themeasure of
reward according to God's law; , .
Disarmament and prohibition in every
Christian country in the world.
One can vory readily see that tho platform
speaker of 40 years' experience and 61 years of
activity is still the same genorous hearted,, big
souled idealist; firm in his convictions and
sincere in his expressions.
It is almost an impossibility to pack the
thoughts voiced in a newspaper article. They
came upon his audience too rapidly. The aver
age mind can carry away only the precious -fragments
of tho discussion.
Bryan in his very first utterances endorsed
the work of the Y. M. tj. A. and all the. other
institutions which give the world its spiritual
enthusiasm, for Bryan is first and foremost. a
Christian who Is not 'afraid to praise the Bible
publicly and recommend its use generally. It
is perhaps the very spring of his power, hhf
hidden fountain, of inspiration.
Last night he appeared to be In almost as good
physical, mental and vocal condition despite
the intervening years of almost constant talking
to people aggregating millions. He is older
which he can not help but he is still vigorous
and when he warmed up to his subject there
was the old time fire and force which with his
wonderful flow of words have made him famous.
In his introduction last evening he said that in
political campaigns the differences of opinion1
are discussed but these are in a sense on ' the .
Surface and superficial. There are other and
more vital questions upon which we can all agree -and
which ought to be more carefully studied
and. generally understood. Mr. .Bryan finds most
of his themes for popular lectures in the Bible
and this was no exception. He Is essentially a
religious man and has had 'a mighty influence on
the right side of these and moral questions. In
his last night's lecture It was not so much new '
ideas presented as it was entertainingly bring-
ing to mind what his hearers knew but never
had thought of in Just the right light and whose
bearing had not been fully appreciated. It has
been thrice proven that most men do not agree
witlTMr. Bryan in politics but all the same the
overwhelming majority of his countrymen recog- -nize
.his ability, applaud his integrity, approve
his influence as a citizen and admire him as a
sterling and representative American.
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