OCR Text |
Show PRICE OF COAL TOO HIGH. This paper congratulates the Herald-Republican on its light against the increase in the price of coal. The Standard was the first paper to make a protest in opposition to the extraordinary advance in coal rates in Utah and now rejoices over the prospect of the agitation spreading until every paper in the state joins in the battle against $6.50-a-ton coal. Tho dealers place tho blame on the railroads, the railroads on the mines and tho mines on the miners. The coal companies, auxiliaries auxil-iaries of the big railroad companies, have been fixing the price of coal and forcing all dealers to conform to their scale of prices, and it is against those interests that the contest must be waged, if coal is not to be fixed at almost a prohibitive figure. There i3 some good excuse for coal being dearer than it wa3 a few years ago, a higher scale of pay at the mines having been granted, grant-ed, but there is no justification for $6.50 coal in communities such as Ogden and Salt Lake, situated as they are within a few miles of the most extensive coal measures in the United States. A thorough investigation should be made to determine on a reasonable rea-sonable price to be paid for coal. |