Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-21

coal clause, would have upon the coal
industry of West Virginia, the REGIS
TER has made a thorough investigation
OF the subject, including interviews
with many OF the most prominent
operators in the State, whose views
are herewith given, along with the
reasons they have for thinking as
they do.
That there has been alarm among
the coal men lest their large and
growing industry y-the chief one in
this State-should be destroyed or II
least injured by the removal of the
duty from foreign coal imported into
the United States, is evident from
the vigorous measures they have
taken TO protest against policy which
they feared would eliminate In the de-
strction OF their business. That they
have been honest in their convictions
is not to DO questioned. The fear OF
personal losses must have been gen.
uine and intense TO have caused men
to desert the principles OF the party
with which they had affiliated,
some of them since its first
existence. and 10 cry aloud
for that protection TO their
business which they had always beley-
ed and declared TO be wrong in principle
and Infamous in practice. Men who
have tens and hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars invested are not TO be blamed
for using all the means az their com
mand TO preserve their capital from
losses. They would not be considered
business men IL they did not There
may be some men in this country who
would sacrifice their pocket books for
the sake Of a principle but they are
very few. Every man is for himself
first and his party next. When party
principle conflicts with personal gain or
business interests the former is quickly
deserted and under the general rule
that every man must look after himself
or he will not be looked after such action
is not entirely bameworthy. But as fear
is almost always caused by ignorance so
In the case of the coal schedule, the
fear OF free coal manifested by many
West Virginia operators has been caused
In q large measure-if not entirely-by
lack OF information as to the real stua-
tion, or by misrepresentation made by
Republican partisans or those persons
who might reap a benefit from a reten-
tiOn OF the duty on coal. From the re-
suits OF the REGISTERS investigations,
which are here given for the perusal OF
the public, 1t will be seen that all such
fear on the part OF West Virginia coal
operators has been absolutely ground
less, that Nova Scotia coal does not now
and
NEVER CAN COMPETE
with the coal from our State, and that
instead OF being injured by reduction
of tariff duties our coal business will
actually be benefited. So that life
long Democrats, who have been waver-
ing in their belief, may reture 10 their
party with lively faith Ia its doctrines
and principles and with the assurance
that their business will be as safe In
the hands OF the Democracy as IL has
ever been and that the. Wilson bill,
against which they bave been induced
to protest, is as favorable to the coal
industry Of our State as any measure
which could be enacted at the present
time.
In the first place, Notwithstanding all
statements TO the contrary, Nova Scotia
coal can not be sold 10 the United States
as cheapy as the coal from West Vir-
ginia or the other mining regions OF
this country. 10 the mining regions
along the New aud KanaWha rivers In
this State, which produce annually
more coal than any other district 10 the
State, the prices paid for mining coal
range from 22js cents per ton 10 5O
cents, according 10 the kind OF coal. Ia
the New river field 80 cents is tpe
prevailing price; in the mines on the
KanaWha 40 cents Is being paid while
the Gauley Mountain Coal Company,
having an easy mine TO work, pays but
25 cents a ton and on Doup Creek the
price is 22{ cents. The report OF
United States Consul General ID. n.
Ingram made 70 the State Department
OF the United States shows the prices
paid Der ton for mining coal 10 the Cape
Breton mines OF NOyia Scotia 20 De as
follows: Gowie mine 46 cents, Little
Glace bsy AZ, International 81, Old
Bridgeport a, Reserve -, Emery 43.
Gardner 55. So that Hon. Henry e.
Davis was correct when be said that the
wages OF NOVA Scotia miners were
equal 70 or higher than those OF the
miners in West Virginia. Nor IS there
any possibility Of their wages being ma
terially reduced, for, says the Engineer
iaq and Mining Journal Of February
10. 1894. s.the Nova Scotia coal miners
are organized 10 a union more auto
cratic than anything We have In this
country. This reason and the absolute
lack OF any other occupation Tor the
miners. when the colleries are closed in
winter, and the dangers and delays 70
shipping have heretofore always kept
cost OF mining and freights up 70 hz-
urss far above our standards, aEdewih
always continue 70 DO 50"
The pay Of the miners Is, however.
but a small part OF the cost Of the coal
production, which on account of the
character Of the coal and the mines
and the expense Of working the same,
Is largely increased in Noyia Scotia
Figures CLEANED from various sources
vary ont little and show the
cosr OF COAL HobUcTIoS
10 Nova Scotia 70 be vsry,nnch great-
sr than IN ths United States The