The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-10-17
The State Coal Mines.

sembly approved by Gov. Turney
authorizing the purchase of coal
lands and operating coal mines, in
my opinion, was unwise legislation,
and the result will be a scandal
upon the good name of the state of
Tennessee. 1t will be honey
combed with political jobs and
jobbers from beginning to end.
1t will be destructive of the pros.
perity of the wage earners engaged
in that industry, and it will be de-
structive of the prosperity of the
legitimate coal mining industry,
of our state; an industry that has
large amounts of capital invested
in it, and our rich mountains of
coal were inviting capital to invest
further, and give employment to
more men. 1t will be constant
menace to the security and relia-
bility of the market. 1t will bring
the occupation of the coal miner
into more direct and close compe-
tition than it even it is now under
the present system. think it the
most dangerous and vicious ass .ult
that it could be possible to have
been made upon this great business
coal mining.
81 do not believe in the state en-
gaging in business to the extent of
putting its convict labor into COM
petition with skilled labor, and
meeting in the markets
of the state the products Of
legitimate industry.
Further, the manufacturers and
dealers in coal, in my opinion, will
not buy the coal from the state
mines mined by convict labor un-
less it is sold cheaper in the mar.
ket than the coal mined by the
paid miner, and when the demand
for coal is light the product from
the convict mines must have the
market, hence cut in prices and
to meet this, the paid miners in the
legitimate coal mines must stand a
cut in their wages or remain In
idleness.
Hasty Legislators.
| The whole scheme was entered
into and legislated upon without
mature consideration, deliberation,
or the exercise of practical business
Judgment. I warn you that this
proposition to do this work will
probably cost the taxpayers more
than three times the estimated cost.
Six hundred thousand dollars in
bonds was unnecessary because
the revenues were abundantly suf-
ficient to meet the 100000 due
Oct. I, 1893, and hence we are
paying $77,o interest for money
lying idle in the bank. The state
comptroller as tar back as last AN.
uary announced that the revenues
In sight and the liabilities to meet
there would In all probability be
$444,ooo in the treasury as a sur
plus by Jan. I, 1895, more thar
enough to meet the expenditures
authorized for the years 1894 anc
1895, saving more than two years
interest, or $6o,75o to Dec. 81
1895.
No Tennesseean Need Apply.
l hold in my hand letter from
Messrs. Shea & Strahle, response
BILE firm of boiler makers in Chat
tanooga, Tenn, calling my atten
ton, as others have, to the specifi-
cations inviting bids for the build
ing of the penitentiary as provided
by the act of the legislature referred
to, which provides for the same tt
} be let as whole. have heart
many complaints about this, and
think Justly SO, as it rules out al
the smaller bidders, possibly there
is only one company in the stat'
that is financially able to carry GU
such a contract. l think it unwis'
: to rule out our own people. Tht
: specifications provide for a certain
, make of steam boilers of I,2ot
! horse power, not made in the state
/ hence our own workmen and build
: ers are ruled out. The firm tt
3 which l refer l know to be skilled
t and reliable builders, they will Civ
a guarantee to build equally a
economical boilers, and in ever.
, way as good as those specified 70
5000 less. have had complaint
from other builders and contrac
tors.
Looks Like Trust.
: "The whole thing looks to m
. like monopoly, or a trust or
combine, and the whole thing Wi
o result in costing the state fror
! $4,000 to 100000 more than
! would if let in business like way
and not rule out legitimate HON
4 competition and Tennessee bic
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