Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-04-06
mixed
NTH BUSINESS
In Meeting of Coal Men at
Washington Interesting
Bunch of Gossip of West
Virginia Affairs at Capt.
toll.

the following political gossip that
via prove. interesting.
AThe week has been one OF worry
for the rich and powerful ones o..
We I Virginia. The politicians have
fof once been almost obliterated IN
fhe demand of the two etnators
Steve and Scotty Tor an old fashion
"a protective tariff on coal, lumber
and such. Both OF the senators.haye
been red In the face with frantic
etclamations that :he coal md wood
ed products OF the state Hre,threat-
ened by the Vaccinations % the tar
iff thinkers, backed by New England,
Pepnsylvania and a part OF Ohio.
In short the situation that territtes
the We 1 Virginia coal interests ia
the prospect that the states mar
l1ets will be almost eliminated IL the
ssrin bill passes as Il now stands.
Both senator's did their part in pro-
testing. >and they promise all sort
OF awful punishment for the other
statesmen " the coal mines AID
lumber camps of the state are no.
given protection wwlth a large p.
The first of the week will soc
many millionaire coal operators n
Washington and they have demand
cd hearing before the senate CO,
nIttee. AT the head OF this West
Virginia mining association is Cap
tain Page and Neil Robinson. The
organization was made over a year
ago as a defensive proposition. II
was just after the Monongah explo-
sion. where many lives were lost, aud
the coal magnateJ OF the staIH
thought II best to get togetiier 30
prevent tho explosion, II possible,
but also to lessen the possible pros a.
cution for damages.
Little did the magnates then think
that another menace, that of the
tariff. would, call FOR concerted action
or the membership. The delight IF
the West Virginia coal operators
has been the protective tariff and
those who put up the cold cash last
summer to aid In the election of Taf.
are doing some cussing these days
that more cold cash Is needed to pre-
vent legislation that will lessen The
profits and close the mines-perhaps
BY the time tn senate finance COM
mittee is ready to hear the aggrIey I
Wes; Virginia operators next Tues
day the arguments will have been
agreed upon at a meeting Of opera
tors the day before. Just, why ray
Tor Vinson, the Huntington lawyer,
has been engaged TO handle the fire
work of drawing up the arguments IS
not explained. Vinson seems to have
the confidence of the operators more
than some members OF the house
from the state. and the action Of
joey Gaines is sticking to the text
Of the Payne bill as regards coal is
puzzling to his political admirers In
the West Virginia mining sections
The explanation OF Joey f. that he
stood for the coal mines in the COM
mittee, but was outvote1, and n
feels that the majority should rule.
This explanation Is statesmanlilI,
but IL will hardly was with the va
riou5 coal magnates who want no
worst Of 1t at any stage OF the game
The report is that the coal men Of
She state will have a very formid-
able array Of talent on hand both
for the meeting of operators Monday
and at the senatorial inquest, the
day after, but the finance committee
will not give much time to the hear
ings and the speeches will be fow
and short.
POLITICS on THE SIDE
SO many Of the operators are in
politics for hea tn reasons shat there
will be side show Of political tai.
with the discussion Of the best plan
for controlling the state administra-
ton at the capital Of the state. Thcre
Is fear among some Of the big Op-
orators that the new governor is go
ing to be rather Independent I'm his
administration ana the one prevail
ing hope or the Interests" s. 90
handle Glassccck, through that suave
ma ter OF diplomacy and mining. Nr
Ike Mann, OF tha Fifth District. u
Is remarked that Mann has got in
his work already by securing The dp-
pointment OF Sheppard TO be mem
Der o fthe board OF coz s,JI, and the
delay in announcing the appointm mt
Is not very well understood in the
Washington camp, where. Of cours /,
the section Of the william on law.
yer was arranged during the stay OF
the governor two weeks or more age
THE BOGOTA JOB
The only actual political talk oil
The week other than the forced ap
pointment OF Sheppard. was over tn
picking out Of big rich fellow WHO
could afford TO accept a job as mia.