OCR Text |
Show THE REDUCTION IN COAL. The price of coal iB to como down on the 'JOth of December, that is, this montli, today a mont wclcomo Christmas concci-sion to the pcoplo of Salt I-ako and of Utah. The former for-mer rate of $)Jit a ton will provail on and after the 20th day of December, the present' month. It is a graceful and substantial recognition by tho coal producers pro-ducers of tho needs of tho pcoplo, and shows an C7iruest desire lo consider what, is fair, and to meet the necessary conditions. The reductions that bring about this gratifying result aro made, as appears from the company statements, altogether alto-gether by tho original producers of coal, and by tho railroads tho wholesale whole-sale section of tho business. Tho adjustments ad-justments which they havo made to bring about tho reduction in price aro to tho advantage of tho public, and tho public will appreciate the result. But how about tho' retailers? They will bo in tho same position under tho coining coin-ing reduction as thoy were boforo tho raise was made. Is it not possible for them also to yield a little? A redue lion of oven a little, say twenty-live cents a ton, would mean groat things lo the citj and the difl'cronco between cold and comfort in many homes. It is to be hoped thai the retailers may bo able to sec I heir way to tho Christmas good feeling, as well as the wholesalers have done. The increase of coal rates from 5.75 to .u'.'Jr a ton for lump was sprung suddenly sud-denly upon the oily, mid was put into effect almost, as soon as announced. It was a great hardship upon the pooplc, and The Tribuno hastened, in its editorial edi-torial columns on November 'Jnd, to protest against if, and to indicate the popular feeling about it. This was the onlv paper that expressed any disap proval of the raise, Ar undertook lo givo voice to the protests of 1 he public. But after election a bitter and solf scnking onslaught was made by cortnin political influences, to get advantage out of the situation. That onslaught was so reckless reck-less and violent that it could havo no effect. lis intent was too evidently seltish and uot for (he people. It resulted re-sulted in embittering tho situation and delaying and making more difficult the accomplishment of now negotiations. But the voice of reason and fairness has prevailed, and that at no great delay. de-lay. Tho raise which was protested against lasted only fifty days. Bad enough, to be sure, for it. lo last, that long, but certainly tho relief conies as-promptly as-promptly as could bo expeetpd. The means whereby this reduction has in fact, been brought about are not all disclosed. But il. is evident that the, quiet, earnest work of tho committee commit-tee of the board of governors of tho Commercial Club is what tur.ucd the scales in favor of the people. Influences Influ-ences potent and quite unexpected were oven more efi"ectivev and must bo praised. .And all the fair and honest agencies that have been active toward the reduction arc entitled to just recognition, recog-nition, and we have reason to Know that the efforts of The Tribuno, unselfish, persistent, and persuasive, havo been far more potent that certain noisy clamors that meant nothing more than the cry of tho hungry wolf. |