Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-12-17
Miafell
THE COAL QUESTION.
BY d. ]. BIoRRELL.

hA T. D. dOAksEAL-
The free trade press, East and West, tax
ing recent events in the anthracite coal re-
gions for text, are making wholesale
assault upon the coal and iron interest Of
the country, ia the hope that by mere force
Of clamor they may influence Congress to
some rash legislation upon the tariff, early
in the coming session. Ny attention has
been called to an article in the Chicogo Tri-
5,me which contains the curront misrepre-
seutations of the subject, and SO clearly re-
veals the animus of its party that propose,
with your permission, to answer it, extract
ing its material points as follows
The advance in the wholesale price Of
coal from $3.50 to $500 per ton bas brought
home TO the country the knowledge that
protection may amount to monopoly"
Anthracite coal is the only coal that has
materially advanced in price, and the duty
upon it is only forty cents ton. This duty,
imposed by the act of June 30, 1864, has
made no trouble for five years past VIII
the Chicago Tribune be kind enough to ex-
plain to its readers how this protection of
forty cents per ton amounts to a mono
poly, and why after sleeping for five years,
it is suddenly awakened and become so pow
erful as to raise the price of anthracite coal
four dollars aud a half ton?
The repeal Of this duty would not affect
the price, for Instead of being found in
Nova Scotia in unlimited quantities, as
the Tribune asserts, no anthracite coal is
found there, very little is found elsewhere,
and, as may be seen by the commercial re-
ports, none whatever is brought into the
country.
''The coal interest Of Pennsylvania have
combined with the iron interest, whereby
du.y OF 500 per ton is placed on pig iron,
and of $l.25 en- this coal. The result is
that the whole manufacturing interests out
side of Pennsylvania, especially the iron
establishments have to submit to the tax Of
Sl75 on the coal they obtain from Nova
Scotia, or pay the same tax to the coal com
panies Of Pennsylvania.
| do not see why in this statement the
duty jumps 50 suddenly from 81. 25 to sl.75,
and it is, to say the least a sinister blunder
of the types which have seen repeated
elsewhere. The duty op bituminous coal is
81. 25 as stated, or say $l40 on the long
ton, and honest inquiry as to how it affects
the coal market must be profitable. 1t was
imposed by the act of 1864 to compensate
for the difference and cost of labor, &c,
here and abroad, and up to this time no
evils can be imputed to it. Assuming that
it keeps some coal out of the country, it is
worth while to ask what amount its repeal
would let in, and if as the Tribune alleges,
there is an unlimited Quantity, or any
considerable quantity, waiting to come.
The agitation for repeal Of duty is in the
interest Of Nova Ccotia coal and an In
creased supply is promised. From the best
data can obtain, the annual production Of
coal in Nova Scotia has not attained to five
hundred thousand tons, which does not
amount to twenty-five per cent. Of the an
nual increased consumption of American
coal. Reliance upon Nova Scotia for more
than an inconsiderable part of cur supply
would raise the price of Nova Scotia coal
much more than the duty Of SIPS now paid,
and the least Encouragement Of domestic
production would be as effective in enhane-
ing the cost as doubling Of the duty.
Taking the TyiJime's statement for veri-
ty, it mut appear that repeal Of the duty
would be but a slight encouragement to
importation compared with che alleged in-
crease in price of coal from $3.50 to SIS. 90
per to- IF it could come at all at IS. so
per ton, and the payment Of the duty left a