Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-06-03
E:LK|NS URGES
PROTECTION
FOR COAL
FAVORS RETENTION OF
PRESENT TARIFF DUTIES


lBy Morning journal special leased Wirel
Washington. y. C.. June 2.-With
the adoption Of a resolution providing
for day and night sessions aggregat-
Ing ,cr hours daily beginning tomOr-
row. the senate today heard sug-
eestion Of a policy for limiting dilatory
motions which caused an earnest pro-
test from senator Bacon and others.
I The vice president, basing his action
upon a precedent made in the last
congress when the Aldrich-V -Vreeland
currency bill was under consideration,
held that the absence OF a quorum
/ could not be called to the attention
Of the senate if the senator occupy
ing the floor declined to yield for that
purpose.
Senator Bacon declared this was one
of the revolutionary rulings made
when the currency bill was under con-
slderatlon and that under it there
would be serious abuse of parliamen-
tary rules He announced his inten-
tion to obtain fun consideration Of
this question by the Introduction Of 4
resolution TO be considered by the
committee on rules
a long speech dealing with the
pledge Of party leaders with respect TO
a revision of the tariff was begun by
Senator LaFollette today and win be
continued tomorrow BY numerous
quotations he maintained that no ques-
ton could be raised as to the pledge
of the party for revision downward
and declared that before he should
conclude his speech he would dem
onstrate amply that. on the whole,
the pending bill placd the customs
duties above the rates OF the Ding
! ley law Since tna enactment OF the
| DingIcy law ana until 1901, he said
/ the control of the trusts had been eX
tended to s 664 plants with capI-
tai of more than twenty million doll
lars
Senator Nelson also discussed the
| tariff bill and quoted numerous com
parisons between the existing laws ana
the pending measure with the inten-
ton of showing that in the cottou
schedules the rates had been raised
from 20 To 80 per cent above the Ding
ley law by the substitution of speci-
fic for ad valorcm duties.
senator Gore again quoted dividends
ana surplus earnings Of New England
cotton and wooden manufacturing
companies to sustain his contention
that these corporations make large
profits ana Senator Frye in reply de-
! clared that taking into consideration
both successful and unsuccessful cot
ton ana wooden mills a profit Of not
more than six per cent had been re-
allied by New England manufacturers
upon their Investments in these in
dustries.
Protection for the coal and petio
lenm industries of the United states
was the subject of a long speech by
Senator Elktns of West Virginia. lie
took the position that the coal pro
duccrs of the country are m no posi-
tion to stand a reduction i'm the exist
ing rates of duty on reciprocal rela-
tions with Canada, and that protec-
ton should be given to independent
producers of oil regardless of whether
this would result in benefits 10 the
Standard Oil company or not
Taking up first the coal questiol'
Mr. Elkins said that coal mining ls
the chief industry of West virginia
and has been for generations. He gave
manv interesting figures as TO the pro-
duction of coal and its value at the
mouth of the mine. Speaking of the
value of coal. he said it should be con-
sidered i'm connection with transporta-
tion for the reason that it does not
becemo valuable for commercial pur-
noses until it reaches the point Of dis
ltribution and consumption The totai
nroduetion Of coal in the United
states last year was given at 4le,Ooo'-
600 tons valued at about $3.50, ,OOO'Vo9
at the mines The transportation TO
points of consumption was estimated
to be $500 900, 900.
According to Mr.. Elkins, the aver
age profit on a ton of bituminous coal
is about fifteen cents and during the
last two years he asserted that there
had been no profit The large factor
lin producing coal he said, is labor,
which constitutes about eighty pc
cent Of the cost Speaking of tho
large number Of people employed IN
the coal mining industry. Mr.. Elkins
said that large coal plant is always
The nucleus of "a town. and that the
abandonment or the closing Of large
land established mines, OF their inte--
nant. would destroy whole communi-
ties and towns and bring distress aud
fuin to many people.
..The coal industry in West Viz
iainia can no more bc disturbed. IN
furad or impaired without great dam
lace said Mr. Eikins. "than the manu-
featuring interests uf New Enelan d.
New York. Ncw Jersey and Pennsy j.
vania. without bringing distress upon