The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-11
THE CASE GROWS DARKER AID
DAIKEE

The more the hitch at Washington over
free or taxed coal is considered the more
bewiidering the case becomes. For the me
of us We are unable to understand no"
a single interest can be affected 10y either
taxing or not taxing coal at 20 cents eN-
cept the Dominion Coal Company. That
IL 10 mine coal in Nova Scotia and sell
IL along orr east Atlantic coast
Let these facts be considered: The
Dominion Coal Company put into its
prospectus that coal could be loaded on
board vessels at LOuisburg for less than
81 per ton II is a good deal further from
Louisburg 10 Boston than from Newport
News to Boston, but as the coal is carried
TO Boston from both places by sailing
vessels the difference in distance VIII
add very little 10 the cost of the coal.
Now. It is not possible 20 put coal
aboard vessel at Newport News or
Lamherts Point for less than $50 per
ton. That is at the very bottom. Coal
would start from Louisburg, therefore,
for Boston with an advantage Of $ly
per ton over coal starting from Newport
News or I.ambert's Point II is obvious,
then. that if the tax of 40 cents a ton
were put upon coal the Dominion Com
pany could still sell it's coal in Boston
below what the Chesapeake and Ohio
or the Norfolk and Western could sell
its coal there for, as the case would then
stand $40 for the Nova Scotia coal at
I,ouisburg. 20 500 for the best Virginia
coal at Newport News and Lambert's
Point-a difference of 50 cents "A ton in
favor of the Louisburg coal, with moth
the water transportation over that part
Of the course I'm excess of the distance
from Hampton Roads 10 Boston, which
practically amounts to nothing. II is
plain. then. that even with a tax of 80
cents n ton on coal the Dominion Com
pany could still undersell the Hampton
Roads coal along our eastern Atlantic
coast.
But would consumers at Boston be any
better off # coal were free? 1t is absurd
10 suppose 80. The Dominion Coal Com
pany viii mOnopOllze the market, but II
Will sell its coal at just the point which is
necessary to exclude the West Virginia
coal. The case. then, is this: 1t can pref
~ nearly. if not entirely. exclude the
West Virginia coal if the tax is 10 cents.
II can TOTALLY tACluut IL IL coal IL maze
free. But If coal is made free the Do
minion Company viii charge the Boston,
fans all OF that 40 cents which excluding
West Virginia coal will allow. If. then,
the tax Of 40 cents is put on ii will not
increase the cost of coal to the Bos-
tonians one cent over what they will have
70 pay If coal Is free. If coal is made free
Il means no more than that the profits Of
the Dominion Coal Company will be
larger to the extent of the 20 cents a ton
which II is proposed TO lay on.
We do not hesitate to say. then, hat
iere is no just ground In this fight for
fl ee coal or against a tax of 50 cents a
ton. The people along the Atlantic coast
win not get coal one cent cheaper if coal
is free than they would get it with tax
of forty cents ton. But while the Do
minion Coal Company will very nearly
have monopoly of our east Atlantic
coast with coal taxed forty cents a ton.
they viii have an absolute MONOPOLY Of IL
with coal free. and they will still make
the people along that coast pay Just as
much for their coal as they would have to
pay If there were tax of 40 cents a ton.
The more this case is looked into the
darker IL becomes. The interests Of the
people are not concerned in a fight against
tax of 40 cents "A ton on coal. but the
interests Of the Dominion Coal Company
are. The case is rapidly assuming the
form OF huge scandal.