Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-13
SrArNroN. ~. March 5. So.

SlR.-In your issue Of February 21
1894, you publish a six column article 20
prove that free cCai will not 90 ure
West Virgiuia coal interests. You
head your article: mo Nova Scotia
Coal Can Compete 10 the United States
with West Virginia I can we'll un-
derstand how the statements and hg-
Ures furnished ana used iu your article
would mslead and cause wrong impress
siOns and opinions 90 be formed, not
only by yourself but by your readers.
III am right 10 my premises then you
must be wrong in yours, and as the issue
is one OF great Importance 90 the whole
country, especially the state or West
Virginia and IT'S citizens, I assume that
you do not wish 20 do your State or its
citizens any Injury, and 90 this end
ask your < nd consideration in giving
this article the same prominence IN
your columns as you did your recent
publication, as j can but believe that
after reading what I have 20 say on the
subject you viii agree with me.
There has blen much cor lictiDg mat
ter printed on This question and de-
sire 90 state that i do not wish 10 mis-
state or pervert the facts. III we can
not maintain our standing by fair aud
truthful discussion then We have no
ground upon which 20 base our claims,
hence / want 10 understood that i am
sincere in my statements, and lI
should fall into error 30 is unintenuOna.
Until i was better Informed, like many
others, i had an idea that the Goals Of
the United States would compete 10 any
market with any other coal, both in the
quality and price, but when the QueS-
ton of free coal confronted me, aud
having a very large interest Involved,
began 20 look into the subject and in-
Vestigate, so as 20 ascertain the facts
TO is no easy matter 90 take up Ques-
ton OF this character and obtain always
reliable information, and such iutOrma-
tiOn as one would want upon which 90
base important business transactions.
] admit that a greater part of the coal
fields OF the United States would not Oe
seriously injured by admitting coal
free. A large number or the
coal producers of the United
States do not send q ton of their pro-
duct outside Of what might be called
local market, shipping ail rail along the
line upon which their mines may be To-
Gated, and 90 these 10 makes very lutte
difference whether coal pays It's share
of the revenue or not, and orr mutual
friend, Capt. Page, happens this time
20 be- one of this class, Us i have been
iniGfm0Nbv an official of the G. 81 %.
railway, that they use substantially
Jhe whole output az bis mine. III Capt.
Page had 90 seek market in New Eng
laud, and meet Nova Scotia coal with
out duty, I think 10 would not be long
until be would ind that the duty would
be quite an important factor necessary
10 the success of his business. The
special advantages enjoyed by such
liberal patronage as that given him by
she q. a. ID. Railway, taking, practically
All of bis coal, shows COnCluSlVely that
% FAR as his operations are concerned
they do not contribute any elements OF
light on this subject. Capt. Page has
naturally, from his associations in busi-
ness iOr the past twelve or fifteen years,
fallen under free trade influences, hay
ing been the Manager years ago OF the
old Hawks Nest mine, owned bY hug
lshmen After his employment there
ended. be was the Manager OF the Vic
Tor Iron Furnace 40 Goshen, Va, an-
other English Company. His next bus
mess engagement we find is with the
Mount Carbon Company Limited, of
POwellt0n, w.. Va. another English
COrpOratiOn-aud to-day wa ind him in
charge of the Gauley Mountain Coal
Company of Ansted, which is not an
English Company, but in which we ind
The spirit o. Abram IS Hetitt,
one of the foremost OF
an OF these s0phistical free traders;
therefore, it would seem, from Capt.
Pages long contact and association
with Engushmen and Free Traders,
one might naturally expect such exc
pressions as quoted from him in your
article: but I am surprised thar be
should have given his influence in this
question when 10 was not necessary t0
protect his interest, against his friends,
who think and believe that free coal
will work such injury 20 theirs aud the
country's interest. Every ton Of for
eien coal imported into the United
States will necessarily reduce the con-
sumption OF our own Goals 90 the ex-
tent that they are injurying
she people of the United States, and
beneftting citizens OF foreign lands,
and 10 10 comes from Canada, pays into
the Treasury of the British Crown
G2t1 twelve and 0ne-half cents, upon
everv ton. How is the idea OF the
United States admitting foreign coal
free regarded by Canadiaus2 The fol-
lowing extract. copied by the Washing
son Post from the PictOu NcirS of Nova
Scotia answers;
REJOICING AS NOVA SCOTIA.
Everybody is not unhappy over the pros
psctof the Wilson bill, aud that is a COM
fort ANYHOW Our railroad people LOOK
forward Co TO with CONSERVATION. Our coal
aud iron miners see la 20 serious blow %
their prosperity The growers aud manu-
facturers OF sugar realize that lt means
their destruction. But the good people or
Nova Scotia. at least. are happy, aud they
Il contemplate the future with radiant de-
\ Nrht Here is what the Jouru1. AMI Plctou
Nftrs has 20 say about nc:
HoTwO OF the three articles-coal. iron
ore. lumbcr-Of which Nova Scotia has
vast supply, with which her future is
closely bound up. have been put on the
Tree list bv the United States Congress.
The coal owners OF the United states made
strenuous efforts TO have the duty on oltu-
rninous coal retained, but their efforts were
unavailing, and every amendment looking
70 the imposition of duty, more or less,
WAS voted down The action of Congress,
AZ coocnrred iu bv the Senate, VIII have
Tremendous influence on Nova SCOtia's fu-
ture. The development and expansion
of the coal industry means more for our
province than can, perhaps, at a glance
be realized. To mems work Tor tnou-
sands of our people, and q biz revenue for
the provincial treasury. To short be means
Good times an around for Nova Scotia. for
prosperity in mining means O prosperity
--horo Influences ara General Next bro