The daily union., 1854-12-13

ntntlOntd,
an aggregate of 62 TONS valued according to treas
ury statement in my possession, certified November Il,
1904 at Sl9IOl79 at general average OF four years
S59l 053 70.
The scarcity of fuel and the demand for coal had
doubtedy their full share in influencing the amount OF
importatons at the several periods mentioned This de-
mand for coal is still rapidly augmentng, having risen IN
the last fifty years from $4,000 per annum an
nual consumption of lo0ooo0o and yet being continually
on the increase.
1t is only within the last fifteen years that the United
States has become strictly speaking, coaproducng
country quarter of century previous that period
there not than thousand tons of anthracite
coal annually produced in the whole Union; yet in l847,
the increase alone had reached to than thousand
per day. and has since increased and is still ncreas
ing almost in compound ratio.
The ability of the American producer successfully
compete with the foreign importer after the present
protective restriction shall have been removed Is beyond
question Look at superior facilities for the extraction
and transportation Of the article the constantly increasing
demand and the extent of our coaproducng regions in
comparison with those of Europe and the British posses
sions this continent
1t is be remembered that the coal we import is mostly
from Great Britain and her North American dependencies
The aggregate of square miles of the coaproducing conn
tries in Europevz Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland, and
Wales Spain in the Asturias region, France Belgium
Prussan domnions Austrian provinces, and the British
dependencies in North Americas s52229 square miles
the coal region Of which embraces about 35504 square
miles, or little more than one twenty fourth part
The United States contain exclusive of Texas Oregon,
and Washington, (he last two abounding extensively in
this mnera 2280000 square miles The twelve coal
States-viz Alabama Georgia. Tennessee Kentucky, Vir-
gina, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsy lvania,
Michigan, and Observation-Disclosures aggregate surface of
5652 square miles of which the coal region 1885,
1872 square miles nearly onequartcr Of the entire
Of these States producing in 1850 while yet the infancy
OF this great staple according to the returns OF that
year, 5,049,954 tons.
GUM, France, Prussia, Austria, in Spain, in 1885,
within fraction Of y-one millions of tons In that year
Pennsylvania alone produced seven millions of TONS and
Maryland more than half million.
The produce and the United States
1854 may be safely estimated at millions of tons yet
notwithstanding this article is abundant in coun-
ry and facilities for its supply great the price has
risen within the last year from thirty fifty per cent and
within the last five years nearly hundred per cent
With almost imitable resources at home, can see no
good for continuing the present exorbant duty
coal which, in my opinion should be free article and
the earlier the foreign coal is brought into competition
with our domestic the better will certainly be for the
consumer Nor series years will this prove any det
nient 10 te American producer whose energies will be
BILE for the cheapest mining transportation and its dev
cry the most reasonable terms while as matter OF
to the country it is not only not wanted but alb
solutely detrimental to general interests Not rail-
way made and equipped with engines and cars, nor
steamship constructed but iron is required and in its
manufacture coal is the material used for the propulsion of
the requisite machinery The growth of the iron manu-
acture and trade in the United States intimately
nected with the coal trade within the last forty years
enormouskeepng pace if not in advance of the strides
in every other department of human industry In 1910
we had hundred and fftythree furnaces producing
htty-four thousand tons of pig IRON
In 845 we had five hundred and forty blast furnaces,
averaging nine hundred tons each annually yielding four
hundred and eghtysx thousand and nine hundred
and fifty bloomeries, forges rolling and splitting mills
yielding of bar hoops, &c, two hundred and nney-one
thousand six hundred TONS and of blooms castings mach
merry and stove plates hundred and y-one thousand
five hundred TONS making that year aggregate of nine
hundred and wentyNine thousand one hundred tons at
the value of $33 94050O In the rapid ncreasen this
branch of manufacture such TO yield much more
than million tons of pig iron.
Some idea may be formed of the increasing demand for
coal by glance at the multiplied which it is
hora
railway communication cost of 600 millions of dollars
and the system is advancing stretching its arms Brareus
like far and wide the Union, in the ratio of the ex-
pansion of population and the growth the country.
The steam marine of the United States in 1852 1890
vessels with aggregate of 4l7,226 tons, of which 96
steamers 529 engaged in the trade and
765 employed inland navigation. Such has been the
increase of steam commercial marine within the last
two years that it would not be extravagan to estimate
steam marine for 1854 at 1900 vessels with aggregate
steam tonnage of 540 900 tons.
quarter of century ago the power of steam upon
land and upon the ocean was comparatively unknown
and the vast and unmeasuTed material which walked this
power into life slumbered in soil
But the of coal for the creation of motive power
upon railroads and in navigation, both inland aud
ocean, furnishes but inadequate idea OF its extensive
application and value to the country.
Coal has been orcbly described the indispensable
alimen of industry It'll primary MATERIAL engenderng
force giving power superior TO that natural of agents
such water air &c, procure ltis ondusry what oxy
gen is to the lungs to the plant nourhment TO the
animal 1t is to coal we owe our steam and gas 1t re-
places in the workshops and domestic hearhs the charcoal
which had become costly under the last head in our
northerly ATTITUDES is destined always acquire ncres-
ing and more general The employment of coal will
be henceorward other than question of cheapness
and in the present age the first interest of industry
above all ameliorated the WAYS OF communication
to lowet the tolls upon the routes and canals
When Crnsus exhibited his golden treasures |
told him that he who possessed iron could make him
self of them The ownership of the gold of the Az
and the Incas yielded the iron and steel of the
Spanish invader
The Creator with bounteous hand, has furnished us
with coal region with extent and richness as trust
have shown unequalled by any political community on
mosphere by which surrounded The for the
extraction of this of the great necessares of life
hand and all that human ingenuity and enterprise
could desire and from these rich deposes stream of
wealth. swollen, flows into the Golfers of the producer
When reflect that that article under high protect
i've tariff is becoming and to great extent has become
indispensable agent in every household that il is daily
growing into universal for all domestic purposes that
it is indispensable in the machinery which fashions with
artistic skill and elegance the implements used and
sary in every family that is equally needed and
poycd in the manufacture of farming utensils and tools in
the mechanic in travel by land and by waterndeed
for all the arts of peace and equally indispensable in the
art of war; and for all the of national defence is
there any why there should be oppressive
tax upon that which so seriously affects the
interests of every citizen of the republic2
Every principle of justice demands that the shackes on
This trade which the existing tariff imposes should be
stricken Off and that the traffic of this important article
should be opened the freest competition In conclu-
sion Mr. Speaker have endeavored to the aen
ton of this body the subject rather by brief summary
of the interests involved than by any attempt at elaborate
argument The days of this session are rapidly dmin-
ising The business of the country rcqures--in fact