Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-07-01
COL. LAMB ON COAL TARIFF.
He Makes an Appeal to Congress for
Further Protection
TO OUR COAL.
Says the Senate Rate is in interest of
Canadian Coal Trust and Will Be a
Fatal Blow to American Industry.

Canadian Coal Trust and Will Be
Fatal Blow to American Industry.
Col. William Lamb has addressed the
following letter "to the friends of the
American laborer and miner in the Con-
gress of the United States:"
Previous to the passage Of the Wilson,
German tariff bill, Notwithstanding the
great prosperity which had existed under
the Harrison administration in the United
States, the fierce domestic competition
between the different coal fields of our
country had reduced the price of coal in
the large consuming markets 10 such 4
small figure that there was very small
margin of profit for those engaged in it:
indeed the miner and laborer connected
with the mines received barely enough
compensation to keep body and soul
together, leaving nothing for educational
and other purposes desired by an Ameri-
can citizen, and with no hope Of putting
anything aside to protect him from the
poverty incident to old age. The opera
tors complained that the price Of coal was
so low that but for the provision stores
connected with their operations, they
could not make both ends meet. The
railroads were forced TO haul the coal at
about three mills per ton per mile, and
carry back empties. The stevedores that
unloaded the cars and loaded the vessels
were receiving but 10 cents an hour for
hard work, day and night, in all wealhers.
The American ship owners, masters and
sailors, who carried the coal from the ship
ping points to the coastwise markets in
the United States, complained that there
was nothing left after the years business,
and only barges which were towed by
steamers were making any profit.
This was the state of affairs, and the
Democratic Congress, under the lead of Hon
William L. Wilson, proposed togive the
country what no business interest asked
for, but the selfish coal trust interested
in foreign mines-free coal-and in spite
of all representations of the depressed
conditions of this important industry (em-
ploying directly 100000 people and in
directly supporting more people than any
other one special industry in the country,
So cents per ton protection was taken off
the duty, and with most disastrous effects.
Strikes at the mines, poverty and suffering
among American laborers, railroads forced
into bankruptcy, and American shipping
rotting at the wharves for want Of employ
ment.
1t was said that this reduction in the
tariff on coalwas bid for New England's
support to the free trade Democracy, but
the thrifty New England manufacturers
had not the hardihood to ask free coal
with which to manufacturer protected
goods, and were perfectly satisfied to pay
the small percentage of protection that
the rs cents gave to coal. The average
duty under the Wilson,Gorman tariff bill
to New England manufactured goods was
IL per cent, while the specific duty of 40
cents per ton on coal was only equal to
about IA per cent ad valoren. The
effect Of the Wilson-Gorman, bill was not
only to reduce the price of coal in the
Eastern markets, but to invite the impor-
tation Of foreign coal into those markets
to displace the American coal and this dis
turbance of the legitimate markets of
Virginia and Maryland coal fields forced
them, for self-preservation, to 60 West to
supply the deficiency in their sales; and in
getting West they disturbed the mining
interests there, and caused reduction of
the price of mining labor in that seton,
which led to the disastrous riots, which
for time thu eatenes the good name ofthe
State of Ohio.
"During the recent Presidential cam
paign the coal miners of the United States
were promised positively by the victorious
party that, should the Republicans be re.
turned to power, their wages would
be raised. One of the documents issued
by the National Committee was an appeal
to the coal miners vote, and was indus
triously distributed by me as chairman of
the Republican Party in Virginia through
out the Pocahontas coal fields in the two
Virginias, where at least sc, 900 people are
directly and indirectly engaged in the
mining and transportation of the Poca-
hontas coal to the markets of consumption.
''The coal schedule in the Dingley bill
reported by the Ways and Means Commit
tee to the House restored the duty Of IS
cents on coal per long ton, and 80 cents on
coal slack and culm per ton. This scant
protection to this great industry is not
more than one-half of the protection
granted 10 other interests in the Dingley
bill, but notwithstanding this, when the
bill reached the Senate Finance Commit
| Tee, IL Ilau proVlSO put upon IL, nttnely,
''that the duty on coal and shale shall be
60 cents per ton, and on coal slack or culm,
Is cents per ton when imported from any
country, colony, Or dependency that does
not impose upon coal or coal slack or
culm higher rates of duty than those named
in this provision. .
Whether intended or not, this amend
ment is a fatal blow to American industry
in the interest of the Whitney Canadian
coal trust. 1t is an entering wedge to that
reciprocity with Canada which would be
most disastrous to the American mining