Show COAL AND THE RAILROADS While this legislature has been dila dilatory dilatory dilatory tory about most of its business and Ind has consumed a good deal of oL time need needlessly needlessly lessly it has been in its refusal to enact unnecessary measures measures or to heed demands for tor destructive l leg legislation legIslation g gIsI IsI In that much it is entitled to considerable credit and if Ir its closing days d sO pow now at hand shan shall show due re regard c gard and nd discrimination as to what is Important and essential It may pass as a fairly creditable session One of the proposed laws which has l aroused a good deal of unnecessary mis misstatement misstatement statement and misunderstanding is the theone theone one on designed to permit railroads to own and anil an operate coat coal lands The opponents of this bill declare that its passage would mean the eternal obliteration of independent Ild pendent companies the monopoly of ot all aU coal lands In the state by railroad companies the ultimate commercial de destruction destruction destruction of the state and the slavery oj all aU its it people In view of or the fact that tl t railroads have ha e owned Utah coal lands for tor a good many years and none of ot these disasters have hae befallen such wild statements need not be discussed se seriously seriously V There is no question but that rail railroad railroad railroad road companies in Utah have hac been Re Responsible for a good deal that was as wrong wrong oppressive and calculated to In Invite vite retaliation The rhe railroad r people themselves acknowledge these facts and are making sucH reparation as they can Independent companies are getting shipping facilities fa where they were for formerly merly merty denied they are being encouraged cn our aged instead of or being stifled capital which was formerly unwilling to under undertake un undertake er take Independent operations is now going into th the coal fields fl ds No railroad company In jn the th present pre state of 0 public opinion o would be foolish f oli hl enough to per pe In the continuance of the practices which have made mado s so o much sentiment against them Conceding the wrongs that tn existed it itis ItIs is only fair to give credit for the rem remedies edies edles that have hae been en applied d But ut this particular p measure m sure is designed lg d to meet meeta a condition that calls for action The Th i fuel supply in Utah both for domestic and manufacturing use Is inadequate no matter who o is i responsible for tor that situation If Uby by any chance the rail raft railroad road voad coat coal mines were shut shutdown down every oer smelter In IlL Salt Lake L ke valley vaney would have w to close elos very every manufacturer would haw mv to suspend business to say netti noto netting Ing ng of the shortage that would ensue to domestic supplies Unpleasant as such sucha sutha a prospect might seem s it would be in inevitable evitable vitt ble because under the th most urgent effort th Independent supply for a long longtime longtime longtime time would at best be only nominal It Jt requires hundreds of or thousands of ot dol dollars lars ars antI and months of or time Ume to open a 8 coal eoal rnino hulne In ha this state Even Eyen under the best conditions a suspension n on of coal opera operations by the railroads Il 8 would mean n a 8 great at disaster for the tae state The legis legislature lature Hute is certainly not going to seriously an n alternative a between beta eon n a a com om complete omIl Il te industrial shutdown shut or d the con cort of railroad R l property pro ert which would present Itself It thia me Ine measure se alle of ot BWl approval On the other hand there is a good l ld deal d l Ott of or ilet J Iron county coal and aRd IfoR TOR oa fields ty y with is Ilk the th there will wm In con conI I lace any a observer that t private priva t capital takaI aia I ece could not well sit un flu undertake erta te to e r the coil er depot deposits d 1 deih e mt m OB OBe e Such Ut an aft would wo k cad for the investment nt before 1 r any ay re tUrn tur urn orr or the th ca c uld b to permit railroad Bt t tc c of any of or these fields and ad the only re result result i sult suit possible would be en m postponement of or their exploration be because because cause caus the tue money mone required would not be forthcoming President R sc policy polieT which found expression in the rate bill and prevents pr railroad ownership of or mines is II cited as a precedent for tor state legisla legislation legislatIon tion But the presidents policy poU y has also resulted in the withdrawal of or all aU coal lands ands from entry Logically fol followed follOWed lowed towed up this the prevention of or orIn Independent In operations in Utah on onan any big scale because no operator o either railroads railroad or Individuals can now ac no acquire acquire quire coal cO l lands of or any sort except such RR as have hae been patented Even Eyen those are in question because the roy gOY government has clouded the title of thou thousands thoUsands thoUsands sands of or acres of or patented land Blind mind unreasoning opposition to any anything anything anything thing the ask seems to be the moving motive In the opposition to ownership of ot coal coat lands and if It no bet better better bettee ter tee argument can an be b offered there are area a number of better and more sensible reasons re sons why the bill should pass One alone Is if enough h and that Is tho the absolute absolute absolute lute necessity for the continuance of coal operations by the railroads unless Utah is anxious lo 10 go without an ade adequate adequate adequate quate fuel supply |