The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-01

4 a nation. and no one can truthfully say
4 to-day that love or pure Democracy is any
4 less strong than It was In 1886 whether
i the leaders OF the Kansas City Convention
1 win see fit to cooperate with this spirit
H-remains to be seen That it will be the
4 part OF wisdom to do so none can doubt
COAL OIL ND=GoaINIERCE.
We had occasion some time ago TO
6 speak of the great and dominant In
fiuence in the growth of wealth of ma
tions that was due TO the possession OF
4 coal III large quantities. With coal IN
4 sufficient quantities you can import iron
4 or any other raw material and manu-
facture it with profit for use at home or
for export Now, large manufactures
and profitable exports, more, even than
great agricultural prosperity, mean
1 wealth, occupation and comfortable living
/ for the citizens of nation.
/ The wonderful growth of material COM
/ forts among mechanics engaged in the
great manufacturing industries of Amer
/ ica the enormous salaries earned by tins
class of workmen, greater in many in
1 stances than their competitors for daily
| Thread in the professions of law or medi-
| cine, show The large returns for brains
/ and capital invested in manufacturing en-
/ terprises where there is field for such
| ventures
Wherever power can be obtained cheap
1 IN by which crude iron or cotton can be
/ transformed into delicate machinery or
1 cloths for export there is a great saving
of labor With corresponding increase OF
/ return.
Russia produces only one-twentieth as
/ much as either England Of America ana
/ consumes only about one-siXteenth as
| much coal as these countries do
I. But casual observer who measures
| trade by coal consumption alone is haple
/ to underestimate the resources ana the
possibilities of Russian trade.
4 There is on the Caspian Sea town
4 which is known to every person that has
/ ever had any active interest in the S'aho-
ard Oil Company; it is known 10 every
| person who has ever had any active
/ interest in any kerosene or petroleum BUS
| mess. vet to the public at large the name
! Baku signifies but little. But Baku IS
the greatest oil producing centre IN tue
l world Oil has been there and has been
known to be there for hundreds of years,
,houph it was first worshipped in blind
| sort of way by the fire worshippers, ana
it is now worshipped in very inteiliseiil
| way by those who bow the knee 10 'he
golden calf Be that as it may the OH
| business at Baku was 1o0o,op tons OIL Oh
in 1895 which is an increase OF looo per
/ rent for the preceding ten years, ana
| nothing but the operation of further ma
chimes is needed to increase the produc-
tjon of 1898 to any given quantity, Tor the
crust of the earth at Baku ana the SUI
rounding country is exceedingly thln' anu
as far as all experience goes, oyeriles an
ocean of petroleum
The deep interest for the coal miner IN
this situation is not in the hish class
netroleurp used for illuminating purposes
that NAV be produced from this district
but in the fact that there is a bi-product
| named astatk dark, viscous huid' io
| more infiamnlabie than vegetable on, anu
| the best producer of heat that IS known
/ to Tia mercantile world. Its value as 10
i coal is as 21-2 to l. 1t can be had no"
at ten shillngs per ton at Baku, ana When
The nine line from Baku to Batoum mas
bae, completed which will enable astatki
| 10 l,a mined across the Peninsula to a port
on the Black Sea it can be delivered to
vessels desiring fuel for sixteen shllllnSs
ner ton. which is far cheaper imam coal
Not only is astatki cheaper and better
! fuel but it does away with the enormous
1 army OF stokers. for it can be injected
directly into the furnace and simply re-
ouires a man to watch the injector.
is clean oaorless and leaves no dust or
! smoke.
The fortunes that have been made IN the
oil district at Baku are lncreulple. Ne
have been told of an old Tartar VINO
siaeps on dirt floor in a tent OF SKINS
and has an income OF halt nalloli
wear from his oil wells. The STANDARD
| ri, Company keeps an agent at Slo,Vt
wear. whose business is simply to watch
The e~nort Of oil from Baku. It is hard
" nossible that it will ever be profitable
10 export in large quantities Russian Oh
mr. netroleum products to America But
| the effect of European coal mines ana
manufactures is bound to be great ana o
important. If Russia finds lucratl'e
field for her teeming millions in manu-
features, and then holds the markets OF
the East open by her armies, starvation
and misery will stare many rich ana
prosperous manufacturer in. England and
Germany in the face, and the slav may
attempt to dominate the world CONNER
| cially. as well as physically.
CLEAR WATER.
We print in another column most in