The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-01-30
!. The. .l!gI!lessaRe.

"a" ~ ~ i ~ 70 FS9HE ~ ~ ! ~
lferi9r. II Is iInpfacticabfe In MY
lludsnent, 70 cover ali details In a
stature J: much discretion; therefore,
n la ~ given to the bureau Of
mines, with provision Of, projection
Of operators against the mistake or
pdeiudice 'ot %tE1Es2indiyidual ,inspec-
torN2 }%., y ~ i, sv1 /; sAE ~
There are two classes of coal OPP
orators or owners of coal mines In
thislstate, The first. class are those
WhQt,sie dScheertuI obedience to tne
(law,. who, Dee In. the Inspector a friend
and an aid, and consider tire bureau
| Of mines an institution 2;,for: their
benefit The other class resist the
enforcement of law, see in; every In
spsctor a SPY, and am enemy. and
look, upon, the bureau as ansinyeption
u opllressiop- : I am. glad TO. say that
the F$irlno nt Coal Company. the
owpers of the Monongah mines, be-
| long to the first class; but this re-
| mark ID not to. be construed, as ex-
PRESTON of opinion as to the. cause
IF the explosion in those mines nor:
IS to the guilt or guiltlessness of any
me connected with the mines for the
| great disaster Of December 9Th. The
>thers. class persistently fight the en-
| orcenlent of law, act as though they
.egard not God or man or law, treat
with ,brAtal disregard their work
mem Cypress and wrong them in var
| ious ways, and. bring discredit on
the whole class of coal operators and
The business Of coal mining In West
Virginia. In some parts of the State
It. is, practically impossible to en-
force. the mining laws against any
! one, but miners. If the Legislature
;ahnot contriYe some means to rem.
| edy, this state Of affairs, 1 suggest
! that you authorize the. withdrawal of
inspectors from such parts. It is
! worse. than a vain thing to attempt
to enforce these laws, at the cost Of
| the taxpayers, unless conditions
change or additional measures: are
afforded. = In this connection, l.
earnestly suggest that stringent laws
be passed Furnishing attempts TO in
timidate, or assaults upon any mine
Inspector, and that" every inspector
be made a police: officer. g.. g.. r.
| The enactment. Of mining, legisla-
zion, under present conditions, is to-
be done in a sober and serious spir.
! It,. The. coal operators of West Vir-
giniaE have the advantage Of having
a coal easy of mining, and cheaper
or. mining than other competitors,
and of superior quality; of favoring
laws and favoring decisions Of our
courts, = They have the disadvantages
that but a small part Of the coal they
mine finds a home, market, practical
| ly all Of , It must bear the cost OF
| a long haul to market, at rates not
too low, to say the least; for in
stance,<in 1877 the rate of rail tGans-
}portation per ton from the Kanawha
ldistrict to. eastern tidewater, was
sixty-fyeS cents. Now 1T is $3.50.
The atlpanesffh the pr5es pf3 coal has
not kept ifi5aaes With thg fntrease III
1.-THE cost OF transp nor per-
haps with the cost Of mining. Any
unreasonable burden placed upon
our coal industry would result in
shutting down our mines, ora part
of them, OF reduce the wages of min
ers aud other workmen. West .Vir-
ginia, coal must compete in the mar
ket with the coal of" other States,
which are nearer market than we
are. =. But, being sure of our sober
hess and that we are not moved by
public clamor or. prejudice, we
should do those things that appear
tdtted, and which are right and,
within reason, in our best judg-
ment, to prevent repetition OF, the
fearful loss Of life and the great
destruction Of property which was
caused by the recent disasters; or,
| If we cannot prevent, 30 minimize
1.-THE danger thereof as far as possible
The Virginia Debt. ~. 4:
At the October term, 1906, the
Commonwealth of Virginia filed a
BILL in the Supreme Court of the
United States, against the State Of
West Virginia. The bill with the
exhibits is voluminous document,
Of nearly 100. pages Of printed mat
ter. Virginia-or rather the holders
of the. so-called "West Virginia Ger
tif1cates' seeks to recover from
this State a large sum Of money as
our share Of the public debt Of Vir7
ginia existing January /, 1861. AS
you have already been advised,
prompt action was taken by the Gov
ernor and Attorney General Of this
State, after conference with prom
inent citizens, to defend the interests
Of this State. Attorneys were en-
gagged to assist the Attorney General
in the litigation on behalf Of West
Virginia. These attorneys are the
Hon John G. faTsls the HON. John
Hogg, and Messrs. Mollohan, McClin-
tic &c Mathews. At the October term,
1906, Of the Federal supreme court