Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-01-13
PRACTICAL VIEWS ON COAL.


Fair1s0nt Laa,z.
General Il. ID. Spllman. president OF
the Monongah Coal ana Coke Company,
and one of the most practical aud intel
l,gent coal men ia the State. under the
date OF December Goth. writes us the
following. which should have appeared
last week, but was crowded out. lie
says:
l have signihed my intentions for
private reasons of resigninS as presi-
dent OF the Monongah Goa, and Coke
Company, and II was not afraid that
you Nigh: say that my questions on the
subject OF free coal were followed
promptly by my resignation, l would
| ask you the following apropoS of your
editorial comment on n paragraph from
the Shepherdstown Register.
l. Is there a mine ia West Virginia
west OF the Aileghanies that Is now
! running or ever has run full time the
year round?
II. Can we produce from mines now
developed more coal than We can sell.
III. Would an increased market help
these mines TO run fuller time?
~. VIII running fuller time give the
miners steadier employment?
V. VIII free coal increase the market
OF West Virginia coal in our region by
adding Canada to our territory?
vi. VIII an increased market in
crease the demand for our coal?
VII. With an increased demand would
the price OF coal 20 up or down.
VIII. With an increased demand for
coal would the demand for labor in
crease or diminish?
IN. II the demand for labor in
creases will the price Of labor go up or
down?
y. Is the price OF labor dependent on
the demand for labor?
NJ. Can NOVA Scotia coal compete at
- cents less price, with the superior
Cumberland, New river or Fat Top
| Goals for steam purposes?
Upon the answers TO these questions,
1t seems 10 me, depends whether or not
we want free coal. The answers appear
TO my mind In q way to demand free
coal. have heard II said that Canada
would under no circumstances remove
the duty from her coal. II that is so IL
would be very bad move on our part
20 throw our markets open TO them
while theirs arc closed 20 us. A reel
| proclty clause would 81 the case. Leave
! our duty on until Canada agrees TO take
hers off and we will be safe
Very truly yours,
h. ID. SrI1MAN.
Replying TO the first question pro-
! pounded by the General we say no. We
| do not now recall year the mines OF
| this section run at full time during the
entire year.
! Question II. Yes.
Question III. Yes.
| Question ". Yes.
Question " That is the question
| We are inclined TO think 1t would. We
| Sht p at present quite a lerge amount oil
coal to Canada and pay the tariff Of
| sixty cents per ton. IL this duty wa.
removed and our coal admitted 10 those
markets free OF duty we see no reason
why the demand for our coal would moi
! increase.
Question VI OF course.
Question VII Should 20 up.
| Question VIII. Ought to be increased.
Question IN. Should go UP as the
demand increases.
| Question y. or course.
Question NJ. The operators In the
| localities named think it can, and II
they are sincere In their public state
ments they think that free coal will vr,
| tually drive them out OF the eastern
markets.
Reasoning from the premises the Gen.
eral has taken his position is unaSsail.
/ hble, out ne UaseS ms views from what
ought 20 be and not from the facts a.
they exist. If the Wilson bill had con
tained clause retaining the duty on
! coal until Canada takes her coal tariff
| Oft, as IL did In the case of salt and
petroleum, there would not have been
an objection from any Democrat in the
State. But the bill simply puts coal on
the free list and stops. There Is moth
| ing In IL that even shows that this
government expects Canada to take of
her duty. J. ply opens the markets
OF this country to Canadian coal, and
does not give new market FOR our out
put II the views OF the General had
been incorporated In the tariff bill every
Democrat would have given 10 a hearty
support, for we are all practically i'm ac-
cord with him. We hope that the Will
son Bill will not become a law until a
provision is incorporated in IL which
would leave our du;y on until Canada
agrees TO take hers Of" No other
course would DO safe or Ia accordance
with sound business principles.