Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-10-05
THE DUTY ON COAL.
TIE VIEWS OF COL. BEN. WILSON ON THAT
IMPORTANT SUBJECT.
He Suggests that Such a Duty is a Democrat
Measure and that It Has Existed Sircs
the Foundation of the Government

Col. Benz. Wilson arrived in the city
last evening, on his return from a two
months trip to Colorado, looking sew
eral years younger than before his de-
parture for the fine climate OF the mid
die West. He will leave for Pittsburg
on business early this morning. a
REGISTER reporter met the Colonel soon
after his arrival in the city, and after
the conventional interchange OF greet
ings, asked him what be thought OF the
proposition to retain a tariff duty on
coal.
81 do not know just what Governor
MacCorkle's position before the Ways
and Means Committee was" said the
Colonel. 81 returned from Colorado
only a few days ago, where spent two
months, and [ have not read up on these
current questions, but a tariff on coal Is
a Democratic measure, as old as our
present form Of government. 10 the
very first tariff bill, passed by the hrs'
Congress, under our present Constltu'
ton, coal was put on the dutiable list,
and that bill is said to have been pre-
pared by James Madison, one OF
the Democratic fathers and suose-
quently President Of the United
States. And l may add that from
that day to 1861, when the Republican
| party obtained control OF the govern
ment, foreign coal was kept on the du'
table list, except, perhaps, for one
year, but about this time am not Ger.
tain. 1t is safe to say that such tariff
received the sanction OF Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe, Jackson, VanBuren,
! Polk, Pierce and Buchanan, all Demo
cratic Presidents"
"But how will the tariff on coal al
feet our home prices?"
ut can have no effect whatever upon
home prices, nor can the consumers OF
| our coal which goes TO the westward be
In any way affected by IT,"
"Then what is the use Of q coal tar
iffP"
Remember the tariff is only on for
eign coal, and it requires the foreign
producer to pay the duty before he can
sell his coal along the Atlantic coast
and in the cities and towns along the
Gulf. That enables the West Virginia,
PENNSYLVANIA, Virginia and other pro-
ducers to compete with the foreign Goa
in the Eastern market. In this connec-
tion IL must be borne In mind that the
Democratic party is not for free trade
Even President Cleveland has never
gone farther than to recommend
tariff reform-that is, to lower
and adjust the tariff TO the neces-
| stiles Of the government, and as a
relief from injustice to the peo'
pie. Now, the millions Of people VINO
live along the seaboard and in the great
cities of the East will have the benefit
of a revenue tariff IN their many thou
sands of manufactures, whose manu-
featured articles we y, and 1t is but
EQUITABLE that West Virginia shouI1
have the opportunity Of competing with
foreign coal in supplying the Eastern
market, which competition only can be
had by imposing a revenue tariff upon
the foreign coal. Give TO our people
and producers this advantage, and 1t
will operate largely to the benefit OF
nearly all classes Of our people-the
miner, the laborer, the railroad man,
the clearinghouse keeper, the mer-
chant, the blacksmith, the farmer who
supplies timber to the mines, and many
others"
Then, If I understand you, a duty
on coal does not, 10 your estimation, IN
crease the price Of coal TO our people?'
Most certainly not. They can pro
duce the coal just as cheap with a tariff
on foreign coal as they could without
such tariff, and In fact cheaper, because
il increases the facilities OF our produc-
ers, enables them to do a larger bust
ness, and the larger the business they
do the cheaper they can sell. The coal
industry in this State is just in Its In
fancy, and If the Democratic Idea that
l have referred to should be carried out,
IL will develop a coal trade in this State
in ten years greater than that which
any other State enjoys, and will add
largely to the wealth aud prosperity of
our people. You readily see where
millions Of money is expended In the
production Of coal, large amounts Of it
must find it's way into general circuIa-
ton and benefit the community at
large"
Then you hold, Colonel, this duty on
foreign coal is a Democratic measure?'
1T most certainly is. II was adopted
before the Wing party was formed oil
the Republican party thought of, and
was maintained down until 1861, when