The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-21
Prosperous Coal Miners.


There is scarcely an industry in this
state which has prohted so much by the
return of prosperity as that of coal min
| ing. At the present time the mines of
this state cannot fully meet the de-
mands which are made upon them. and
never at any time were so many men
| employed in coal mining as now. Yet
| the mines are far from being worked to
| the limit of their capacity, and the coal
fields of Western Washington are hard
| ly Scared. There are thousands of
never been developed. There is diffi-
| Guilty In securing all the labor needed,
and the wages paid are substantially
identical with those paid competent me-
chancs In other pursuits Labor has
shared abundantly in the prosperity
which has returned to the coal mining
industry.
The Increased demand for coal Is due
to a variety of causes. The increased
| railroad business and the enlarged de-
mand in factories, the result of Inn
proved conditions. are chief among
those causes And next In Importance
| has been the wonderful growth of ship
ping on the Pacific coast. due in part to
the general return of good times, in
! part to the transport service to the ORR
ent, and in part TO the growth OF the
| Alaskan carrying trade. All OF these
have been important factors In increas-
ing the demand: but had 1t not been for
the benefieent provisions of the Dingley
law. that increased demand would have
resulted in little Increase OF business or
of profit to the coal miners Of the state
OF Washington.
The Wilson tariff bill. which struck
ly ruined the coal mining business OF
| this state. This Is the only state In the
| Union which received sensible benefit
| from the protective tariff on coal. as 1t
Ia only In Pacific ports that coal Is i'm
! ported in any quantity. The coal mines
| OF Washington have not only 10 meet
the competition OF the coal mines of
! British Columbia, which have always
been operated largely by Asiatic labor,
\ but the stili more serious competition
| OF the Australian mines. A large share
OF the vessels which come to the Pacific
| coast 20 load wheat make the voyage
| from England to Australia loaded with
| goods for the colonial market; and from
| Australia they come 20 this coast. When
| the duty on coal was struck down by
| the Wilson bill those wheat carriers
| flooded the California market with Aus
,ralian coal. thus cutting of one OF the
| principal markets for the Washington
| product AS Il was choice between
coming IN ballast or bringing a cargo OF
| Australian coal the freight rate on the
Australian article was merely nominal
/ our mines could not meet the competl-
| ton and had TO reduce their output. cut
| down wages or shut down. Some adopt.
/ "a one remedy. some another. and the
coal mining Industry was at low ebb.
until the incoming Of the Republican
administration and the restoration OF
the protective tariff again brough, It
| prosperity,
Three great Industries Of this state
were the especial objects OF Democratic
attack when me Wilson BIN was being
framed ANA Z, should bc remembered
/ that these particular Industries were
/ especially singled out by Mr.. Bryan IN
/ his free trade speeches in congress as
unworthy % any protection. They are
coal mining wool raising ana Lumber
production, The wilson BIN dealt each
ot these Industries deadly .blova The
were the only existing important indus.
I tries q this state which had any pro-
| tectlon az Az prior 90 the passage 81
I tsr wilson hgL n earh 90 these in.
I aps,riee the people % this state las
I rren to the most strenuous competition
I when protection was Withdrawn. The
/ Wilson hM turned our lumber trade
/ largely into the hands ~ Canadian com
/ peiitors. ana cur coal trade largely over
1 to the miue owners % British Colum.
hia and Australia. The Dinsley bin ~.
/ stared protection 20 those Industries.
I and restored rs 7ur horne markets. from
/ which we haa beeR excluded BY unfair
I competition These three great indus.
tries are now profitable as they never
/ were before. In lumber and coal min.
Ink. especially. the number Of wass