The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-01-04
A PROTEST AGiIssTiFrEE COAL ASD
IRON ORE.
- Mass Meeting Mt tho Town Hall for Inc
purnose-Thc Resolutions Carried.

= ore and lumber III tue Dig Otots o"t
1 Coal. Iron and Lumber Field, held at BIZ
Stone Gap on Saturday. December 3uth
1893, Walter Z. Addison was clectec
Chairman and ". j. lIorsley was elected
Secretary. Upon motion Of Gen. L. a
Ayers, the following resolutions were
adopted.
TIHereas, A bill has been reported
from the Ways and Means Committee OF
the House of Representatives of the
United States, known as the "Wi'son
Bill" under the provisions of-which it IS
proposed to remove the duties on coal,
coke, iron-erc and lumber:
Ind wdeycas, In the opinion of this
meeting, the placing Of these articles
upon the free list will he fatal.to the de-
veIopment Of this section and Obstructive
TO the interests already established, pre-
venting the establishment Of others Tor
years to come, therefore,
Resolred, That we do earnestly protest
against the provisions Of the Wilson Bill,
which proposes to place iron-ore, lumber
nDd coal upon the free list; that we regard
the placing Of these articles upon the free
list.as All unfair and unjust dscrimina-
ton against the industries Of ours section
and believe that if the bill is passed in its
present shape that the development Of
this section will be retarded for years to
come; that thousands Of lahorers will be
thrown out Of employment, causing great
distrcss.not only to employees but employ
crs who have invested money to develop
the mines and forests.
Reso1ucd, That orr Representatives and
Senator'S in Congress he and they are
hereby earnestly requested to use every
means in their power to prevent the plac-
ing of coal, iron-ore and lumber upon the
free list, that we unalterably oppose the
passage Of the bill containing these pro-
visions as being nimicablc to the best
interests not only Of this section but
every other mineral section Of the South
and an unfair and unjust discrimination
against our industries in favor Of those
which are Pc, eotcd by 3 tariff.
RcsoLred, That We, as citizens of Yir-
ginia, irrespective of party, regard this
section as wholly and entirely uAvaa-
ranted by the authoritative declaration Of
e!tor oi the great parties, calculated to
destroy industries which have required
years of labor aud MILLIONS Of money TO
build without any show Of right.
Resolred, That we do not pretend TO
say what amount of duty shall be
levied by Congress, but We do earnestly
insist that all dutios shall be equitable
distributed and borne alike =! 7! as;l inc in
das!r;es IN this coantry.
Rcsolred, That copy of those resolu
tons, attcstcd by the Chairman and Sec
rotary be forwarded to eur Senaters and
representatives il Congress from Vir-
gina. WALTER +. ADDISON,
Chairman,
". !, HoasLEY,
Secretary
General Ayers said In support of the
resolutions that millions of dcllurs had
locu Invested In our rns' ;,.
,...es upon the faith Of the assertions
made by the Democratic party, {ks, The
revision Of tie tariff should be upsn an
| eonitahlc basis, and that no one industry
Should he crippled by the revision, and
that the rearranging Of the schedule
would be on the basis Of tariff for reYe-
nue. only. That it was unjust and not IN
accordance with Democratic principles
and promises to levy this tax in such a
manner rs to give protection to the pro-
ducts of one sectiou Of countpy and refuse
to do 80 upon HE products OF another
section. He predicted that If VIC did not
receive our just share of protection that
eur iron, coal and lumber industries
would be paralizcd.
The Chairman, Mir. Walter f. Addison,
being ca He'd upon The floor for an express
sion of his views, said that he believed
with Senator David 3. Hill, of New York,
that our tariff should be levied SO as to
give incidental protection to OUT infant
| industries; and that it was not contrary to
Democratic principles 20 protectour home
Industries, which we're in their infancy,
and which evidently needed protection
He belIcyes that the tariff should he reyis-
ed, bat not in such manner as to give
ono section OF our country all OF the hen
fits uad crust! out our most prosperous
and important industries in the South
Our future prosperity depends entirely
upon our coal and iron, and we should
fight any movement that prevented their
development.
Mr. d. G. Anderson said he thought i;
our duty to defend our own interests, re-
gardless OF parties.
Judge T'rigg Miller said that Gael
member Of Congress saould look to The
interest of his own section, and lie wa:
satisfied free coal and iron would ruiz
Southwest Virsisia.
Mcssrs. J. F. Bulitt. 10. Maynor ane
Judge SAccn all spoke in opposition t.
| the resolution, ard said that free coal AM
iron would not IL, us any harm
1hrcc-sourihs of the citizens presen
voted for the resolution.