The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-16
4 vyHa1xIAs pENoUNCKs FREE
COAL.

A leading business man Of Norfolk. Viz
ginia born and bred, Democrat, has
written an open letter TO United States
Senator Hoar denouncing the placing OF
coal on the free list under the Wilson tar
if bill. He quotes from Daniel Webster's
pittsburg speech Of 1883. when Mr.. Web
stsr, among other things, said that "soon
after the peace Of 's3 there came period
of distress over the whole Atlantic coast,
far exceeding anything that had been felt
during the war. Importation in British
ships was free: American ships-thers
were none. The cheaper labor Of England
supplied the inhabitants Of the Atlantic
coast with everything from the crown Of
the head 10 the sole Of the foot. The mer-
chants Of Boston appointed committee.
ct the head Of which was the name, ever
venerable to the mind of ali true Ameri-
cans. John Hancock. by whom strong res
buttons were reported, declaring that the
inhabitants would not use any articles i'm
ported in British ships. The mechanics Of
Boston met and recommended the inhabi-
tants not to use British articles at all.
For, said they. with regard to you. Mr..
Hancock, what odds does ii make whether
our shoes, boots, hats. handkerchief, or
shirts come In British ships or American
ships? They take away our bread. come
In what ships they may"
From March, 1856, to March, 1865, .
period Of eleven years, We had free coal by
reason of our Canadian reciprocity treaty,
under which all the products of Nova
Scotia were admitted free Of duty. and her
coal came 10 the United States as far
South a. New York in competition with
the coal produced by Pennsylvania and
Maryland; the virginiss we're not then
coal producing states. In 1865, when this
treaty had been in operation ten years,
the importation Of goods into Nova Scotia
from the United States in the district
from which large amount of the coal
came amounted TO 81. ZOO. as against an ex-
portation from the same district to the
United States OF i59, 900 tons of coal, with
a value ut point of shipment of s375. 600
This Virginia Democrat cites these official
figures from the record of the reciprocity
treaty of 1885 for the year 1865 and asks !:
"Can any one assert that q group OF
miners In either Of tho virginias VINO pro-
ducS 45a 900 tons of coal, for which the
miners alone would receive SO, 500 would
not spsnd moro than S.. 700 for the manu-
featured goods of New England
In West Virginia IL takes about 200
miners to get out isa 600 tons Of coal. The
average cost of clothing of a family in
West Virginia is sls6 10 or 81 $50 spent in
clothing, the most of which comes from
New Englsnd-about Eve times as much
- ell the United States product imported
into tho piotcu district Canada, in 1866.
cost.
The New England manufacturer Is GER
tainiy not benefited by saving of the
duty on coal. when IL cuts of the rurchas-
ing power of the home consumers of his
goods in favor or foreign consumers who
only purchased s.. 700 worth of goods with
the pay they got FOR mining $4,000 tons OF
COAL % 900 tons more than the total con.
sumption of Fall River in isai.
In 1865. when the Nova Scotia miners
were shipping largely into the United
States, the price Of coal was very much
higher than lie is now. Free coal promises
Co give the thousands Of yirginians en-.
gagged directly or indirectly In the coal
trade cotton goods ss twen,y-two-ono
thonsandths Of cent cheaper yard. bu,
ct the same time takes away from these
Virginia miners the only means they have
OF buying shirt and drawers This Nor.
folk viFginian shipped last year 20 New
England in New England vessels Los. ~
tens of roeahonsas coal. and paid s9Ss..
herss Point. Va, 20 that section. Free
coal means free ships. and British vessel,
weald be sure 20 transport this Canadian
coal, as American vessels can net carry
this eoaa without paying the Dominion
government license fer the privilege. 50
Nes Eaglaaa would lose the trs. year a.
much in freight paid her ship owners and
sailors rs her manufacturers and othe,
consumes 81 coal would gain from Tres
coal.
The Virginia eoal shippers at Newport
News paid the same rates OF freight q
they sent last year. Baltimore raid Il
cents more. new York and Phnadelphis
paid less. When ;ae two Virginia,
entered she market With their eeal ia
competition with Maryland and Pennsyr
vania. notwithstanding tie tariff. the
price vas reduced ia ten years some 20 re.
cent. the average prics alongside in Bos-
ten in lisa being s4ss, and in lSs2 a.s4
and the price fer eoal in Boston when
there was no daily, in isSs, vas Sla7 pes
ton. Domestic competition in coal has
reduced the paargIn sor Virginia shippers
IL So small . iigare that = csnfs taken
from il would destroy all the prof.s, unless
the miner would waFs as eheap as he doe,
81 Canada and tAs railroads and vessel.
would transport tbs eoal a, rates TIA.
soaid net pas for wear ard tear.
Virginia eosl IN lsa2 WA delivered a, ,As