The Portland daily press., 1871-04-07
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1871.
George M. Weston on the Coal Duty.

George M. Weston, ESQ.,, of Bangor aid
Washington, respect for whose undeniable
ability does not prevent his being popularity
known as "Mel" Weston, has written letter
TO the Kennebec Journal, in which he argues
that the removal of the duty on Province
coal will be prejudical to Maine interests
The reason given by Mr.. Weston for 'h's ca
traordnary statement is that our Name coast
ers are now largely engaged in bringing cum
berland coal from Baltimore to Eastern ports,
and that If is the stimulus of the profitable
return coal freights that enables these vessels
to carry the bulky exports of Maine, and no
tabIy lumber, to the Delaware, and to Chesa-
peake Bay, at the low rates that now give ac-
tivity and amplitude to that trade The duty
being repealed, says Mr.. Weston, all this
profitable business passes into the hands of
foreigners, and Nova Scotia coal will be
brought in cheap built, cheap sailed Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick vessels. This
looks teuite plausible, though if its truth be
conceded there are in the anticipated results
of the proposed repeal ample compensatiohs
for this incidental disadvantage, even ii true
craftsmanship makes its scope so narrow as
single interest of single State instead of as
broad as the country and the world. 1t is
plausible, we say, but Mr.. Weston makes a
further statement which completely over
throws his whole argument. 1t is not often
that controversial writer of his genius is so
considerable as to furnish a reputation of bis
own tsophistical but ingenious reasoning
thus:
The quantity of Province coal delivered in
this country, has been affected quite as little
as the price, by the existence, or non-exist-
ence Of duties upon 1t. During the first six
years offree coal under reciprocity, the largest
import was one hundred and forty-nine thou
sand tons in 1860. During the six years prior
to reciprocity, and with duties averaging
twenty-four per cent, the largest import
ranged from 81 10 $4,000 tons. In 1870,
with specific duty of one dollar and twenty
five cents in gold per ton, the import OF Prov
ince coal had run up to four hundred thou
sand tons.
If we are TO have no more Province coal
than before the trepeal of the duty, then our
Maine coasters may make themselves entirely
easy touching the subject matter of Mr.. Wes-
toms gloomily foreboding prophesies, for their
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick rivals are
hardly prepared, we trust, to defy the laws of
the United States and go to carrying Cum
berland coal from our own mines and distrib
uting it along our coast. So much for this
branch of the argument. But we re-much
struck with this obiter dictum of the same
authority:
Nor can it be overlooked, that if duties are
wholly removed from coal upon the ground
that it is an article of prime necessity, they
cannot be expected to be long retained upon
lumber, or hay, or potatoes. Without going
into the vexed question of tariff protection,
1t is plain, that if American coal, the cost of
the production of which is so much increased
by the burden of our heavy taxes, is to be
exposed to free competition with the coal
of Pictou, the lumbermen and farmers of
Maine will find that their turn will come
next. 49,
What shame it would be for Congress to
make an appropriation for the Isthmus canal
because it would affect the next cotton crop!