The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-09-23
The Tariff on Coal.

Editors 0ffhe Democratic Adr0cdte.
Under the above caption the Baltimore Sus OF
Tuesday says that the following day, Wednesday,
had been set aside by the Ways and Means Com
mittee of the House OF Representatives for hearing
of those interested in coal both anthracite and btu
minous, upon which the present tariff is 20 cents
per ton" The Sim continues-"Chairman Wilson
has thus far received requests to be heard from
only two gentlemen, Mr.. G. NJ. Hendey, the private
secretary to President Henry G. Davis, of the West
Virginia Central Railway Company, who is also
largely Interested in the coal tariff. and Congress
delegation fayoring the maintenance of the present
tariff. Those desiring reduction Of the tariff have
not yet outlined the limit of the reduction they are
willing TO accept, nor have those opposing reduc-
ton said what reduction, If any, Will be acceptable
to them. II is well to state however. that the manu-
facturers of New England who use bituminous coal
in their operations have stated that If they must
accept a reduction in their manufactured product
they must in turn receive some compensation In
the form of reduced price for the coal they use.
There is no specific reference to the coal tariff in
the Democratic platform, nor has President Cleye
land in his tariff messages and speeches mentioned
the question. 1t is matter of private history how
ever that just prior to his celebrated tariff message
to Congress- in December, 1887, he called upon
by ex-senator Henry G. Davis of West Virginia, and
Senator German, of Maryland. both of whom are
largely interested financially in the coal fields of
West Virginia. They united in urging the President
TO withhold his now famous message, which he de-
clined 10 do. While Mr. Clevelands action in the
matter had no direct bearing upon the coal in
dustry. it only indicates that he desires general
reduction of the tarif-that no one industry shall
be affected at an expense OF another.
There is no question which will come before the
ways and means committee in which its chairman,
Mr. Wilson, is vitality interested this question
Of the coal tariff because 1t 3 by far the most extern
sive industry in his district in West Virginia. and
probably majority of his constituents is more
directly interested in ii than in any other subject to
come before Congress. And so IS Representative
McKag. OF Maryland interested la 1t, as the mining
of coal is decidedly the most important enterprise
in his district And for that matter all of the West
Virginia congressman have an important interest
in Il. and have the Pennsylvania Ohio, Indiana,
Kansas and many Southern Representatives. On
the contrary there is a loud clamor from New Eng
land New York, New Jersey, the Northwest and Che
far West for total abolition of the duty and if not
that r1aterial reduction"
Ifthere two things that are essential to Demo-
cratic success and succession after President Cleve
lands present term they are, first. that every
promise made the people in the National Demo-
cratic platform shall be solemnly and religously
kept and that Chairman Wilson. of the ways and
means committee. who was also the President of
that same convention. shall make it his especial
business TO see that the said promises concerning
sonal political As President of the National
Democratic Convention and the Chairman OF the
ways and means committee he is simply the repre-
sentative servant of the people i'll two great trusts
and he should them conscentously carried out.
The other and the greatest service that the Democ
rarey OF Congress can render the great masses OF
the American people. irrespective of party is to
place coal upon the free list. Next TO bread and
water and raiment it is one of the most essential
necessities of the country II Is necessity of all
poor people, and is the free gift of God as fuel TO
them, while the labor that mines it is illiberaly
compensated. Its outrageous tenfold cost to the
consumer is due to the tariff, the mine-owners
combination, and the highway robbery through
excessive railroad tolls.
In other words, If England can lay down at our
doors her coal cheaper than our own mine-owners
can. who have not 10 incur half the expense, then
let her do 1t, for there will be no redqGtiQn ppon
the present prices paid labor to mine it, and II there
should be, II will nevertheless be great releef TO
ed in other industries Let Mr.. Wilson to II that
the tariff is taken off of coal. JUSTICE.