The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-02-01
Ghe G,ttell1qeltceo.
wuEELrNo. ". VA. rEaaUARY !. 1888,
How Does This strike West virginia:

In another column space is devoted 10
letter from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to the
New York Times. q newspaper which
strongly flyors "tariff reform" according to
the Democratic programme as outlined BY
President Cleveland. The Times letter il
written from the Nova Scotia point o.
view and is intended to excite the cupiditJ
Of New York and New England.
The writer shows with great Clearnesl
how the Democratic tariff for revenue los
tered the coal industry Of Nova Scotia
how the Republican tariff for protection
has left the coal industry Of Nova Scots
to shit for itself, while American money
and American labor have built up the
vast coal business Of this country, anc
through that industry quicksned thu
pulse Of every other.
The Times writer is in error when hi
speaks OF 5OOOO, 900 tons as the amount O.
coal used yearly in North America. The
latest reliable returns place the amount
mined in 1885 in the United States alone
st lO6,OOOOOO tons, which may be regard
cd as our home consumption, nince the
imports and exports about balance. Ever
at this rate the one dlstrics Of Sydney Bay
would be able to supply the whole OF the
United States for the next twenty years.
1t is true that these Nova Scotia coali
can be brought into this country and de-
livered at the Atlantic ports at leas thar
the cost OF American coal, but this is be-
cause the coat OF labor In Nova Scotia II
far less than in the United States. Because
the Goals Of Nova Scotia ere good, CHEAP
and abundant that to let them in duty free
would be to create for our coal miners
killing competition.
Almost the entire State Of West Viz
ginia is heavily underlaid with coal Of su'
perior quality, in It's various kinds and
grades suitable for every purpose iol
which coal is used. Tho latest returns Of
our output places it at 100000 tons for
1885, in which year the number Of per-
sons in this state engaged in coal mining
was 1900. Last year the output was
largely increased, and by this time the
number engaged in this industry ia reater
5000 than 1000. II we place the num-
Der at 5000 we have population OF 49,
900 persons supported directly by the coal
industry in West Virginia, to gay nothing
Of those others whose livelihood is SO
bound up with the coal trade that they
fall when 1t falls.
West Virginia Is making good progress
in the development Of her coal deposits,
than which there are no richer anywhere.
The question now presented to her people
is whether this development shall go on,
bringing into the State population and
money, or whether her representatives in
Congress shall abuse their Opportunities to
foster the coal development Of Nova Scotia.
lis striking fact that dependency Of
free trade Great Britain appeals to the
protected United States to give her q
chance to develop her natural reSources-
appeals to US to allow her coal chipping
port OF LouiaburSh, "now but ruin, yet
to be what the French kinRa dreamed 1t
would be, one Of the thriving ports Of tho
New World" Ii we are 10 build up coal
ports let us build them up at home; and
II we arc to aid in tho development Of coal
deposits, let us, as West yirginlans, prefer
the Cosl deposiIs Of West Virginia to those
OF Nova Scotia. All that applies to coal
applies to every resource and energy with
which Almighty God has endowed the
Amarican naople.