The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1894-01-18
LETTERS from THE PEOPLE.
The Tariff On Coal.
RICHMOND, VA, Jan. 2.

70 the Editor Of the State:
Many readers of the state have been
surprised at its position on the question
OF admitting coal and iron ores to this
country free of duty, These staples are
among the greatest industries the States
OF Virginia and West Virginia have, and
they are dependent on them as New
England is OH it's manufactures. Their
development in the last few years has
been wonderful. If asked to share pro
pOrtionate!y the costs and risks to tarl..
reform it probably would moi become us
to offer objection, but the treatment OF
our great interest is so radically different,
the discrimination against us is so open
and fragrant and the consequences to fol-
low are so serious that, as | have said,
your readers acquainted with the situa-
ton are surprised at your course.
The purpose of this communication,
however, is not to complain of the State
but to try and correct in some degree ali
impression which seems to prevail that
the confessions referred to in your
article OF December II, headed Some
Startling Confessions, . included the con-
tirmation OF Major Hotchkiss of the Bos-
ton Adcertise1's estimate that IS, 1886, 500
would be saved to New England by the
removal of the duty on coal.
The Boston Advertiser, which is re-
sponsible for the figures, is an enthusiast
tic partisan in the contest over the entire
removal of the coal duty. 1t is in SYM
pathy with the Dominion Coal Company
formed by Nj. Whitney and associates,
to control the coal fields from which New
! England's foreign coal must come. 1t has
required most extraordinary efforts on
! the part Of this company to awaken III
| terest even in New England in the re
moval of a duty that has endured for
fifty years. The estimate is not worthy
of the attention of those who are con-
versant with the conditions, but it has
gone the rounds and served the purpose
of the .4I0egtise2.
The syndicate controlling the Nova
Scotia coal, which New England expects
to get, is a monopoly as close and per-
feet as any trust concern the United
States has ever known. Favored alone
in all the coal bearing regions of Nova
Scotia with port open during the long
winters of that high latitude, the mana
gers of the company have entrenched
themselves with privileges, acquired ia
cilities and all the properties necessary
to secure themselves from troublesome
competition in Nova Scotia. Having
practically cornered the coal fields they
will do exactly as all other trusts do,
and that is, put the price of coal to the
New England consumer as high as they
can consistently with the exclusion Of
Virginia coal.
Is any one verdant enough to suppose
that this syndicate will let the New
England consumer have the saving res
ferred to or any part of it when, to the
extent Of it's shipments. in a little time it
can take the whole to itself with impu-
nifty?
Who is to prevent it.? There is no for
eign competition to depend on and the
Virginia fields are barred cut effectually.
Having been excluded, Virginia coal
could not recover its place in the New
England markets.. The great OUTLAWS OF
money necessarWsand the time and
trouble OF again Providing barges, YES
sells, locomotives cars aud other costly
facilities would not be justified. The
New England consumer might then learn
what the ddUertiser is careful not to tell
him now, that it is better to adjust the
tariff so as to retain the advantages that
come from the strong active competition
of tile several great coal districts of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia than to shut
them out and be forced thereafter to &C
cept the terms Of the Whitney monopoly
DEMOCRAT.