Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-01
ss..ial z.,.aran % ~ R.a....r

sBeeial zsisgraa 10 1s Rs0ls,s-.
CHARLESTON, November 30.-The
news OF the placing OF coal on the free
list by the trainers Of the new tariff bill
was received here without surprise 20
anyone, save perhaps 10 q few inter
ested persons. The action OF the 'pro-
lection Democrats" who plead with the
Ways and Means Committee for a pOr-
zion OF the peoples hard earned money
had been so thoroughly and so unhesl-
tatingiy denounced by the Democracy
all over the State that no one for an in
otant thought the pleas aud protests of
these gentlemen would have any weight
az Washington, and 10 seems the people
were right Had the Ways and Means
Committee faltered for an instant after
The appeal of the coal barOns, the
the prOmptness and unanimity with
which the people Of West Virginia de-
clared that they were misreDresented
by them aud that they were and are iu
full accord with the platform of the
Democratic party must have encour-
aged them in the work for which they
were elected. aud which they have now
partially performed
There is no fear expressed hero that
she coal mining Industry OF this State
will be injured by the placing of coal on
the free list. There are few who pre-
dict disaster, bat they are principally
Republicans, or Democrats VINO are In
. their clutches through business rela-
1io0s. 10 is q well known fact that
several Of the most prominent coal
operators 10 this valley who were APP
pointed on the committee Of the Coal
Exchange 70 60 % Washington and ap-
pear before the Ways and Means Com
mlttee refused 20 serve. They asserted
shat they neither needed nor wanted
protection for their coal, and would not
take any part 90 asking for it. The
manager Of one of the largest coal COM
panies ia either the New or the Kan
sWha river valleys made q most
vigorous speech 20 the eX-
change against taking such action
as they did and has repeatedly stated
openly that be would not be injured by
she placing of coal on the free list.
The superiority Of the West Virginia
coal will always give 70 entree % the
markets OF the world 10 competition
with the coal thereof 10 fact the his
tory Of the past few months will show
that 40 has already scored several points
IA direct competition with the coal Of
all the world. Under the Mckinley
tariff law there is a rebate on all i'm
ported coal which is used as fuel for
ocean vessels equal 20 the tariff, max
log all coal used as fuel for vessels free.
Contract has recently been made by
one of the largest steamship lines on
q Tai L H- HrIHn
coal company for 22j, 600 tons OF coal
This, too, In competition with free
coal from Nova Scotia and the rest OF
the world. The Etruria, on her recent
record breaking trip across the Allan
Tic used West Virginia coal, selecting
from all tho Goals of tbs world, 10 open
market, our own West Virginia coal,
which had first TO be- transported to
England, for use on her return trip.
Can LIE superiority Of our coal be
~a bed with such facts as these Ia
view? Those operators who refused to
go 20 Washington are right The tariff
viii not in the least affect the market
for their Goals.
AS for the miners, it will be difficult,
indeed. to moke them believe that the
tariff will affect their wages, or that the
placing OF coal on the free list will re-
cuce them, when year after year they
have seen wages constantly going down
until now. under about as high tariff as
has ever been placed on coal their wages
are lower than they have ever been be-
fore. Nine tenths OF them have always
voted the Republican ticket in the vain
hope that under nigh protective tariff
their wages would be Increased, and
Just as other lab1ring men, who have
been similarly deluded, they have at last
found OF the fallacy of the Republican
teachings. They see now, that while
they have been paying under high
protective tariff an average tax OF go
her cent on an imported goods, their
Wages, instead of increasing 10 the
sAme ratio, have actually declined 90
thu lowest notch In the history Of
mining, so tha1nevsr before were the
minbrs OF the State So poorly paid.
Convinced by experience that the coal
tart Nd0es not Increase nor keep up
their wages the miners are ready 20
give a trial 90 the Democratic system,
and tbe cry OF certain Democrats that
~ coal were put On the frPe list the
entire miner vote OF the State would be
given 20 the Republicans amounts 20
nothing.
BrsuOP Duane, or DALLAS