The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-19

gnia mined last year over 46000 GOO tons of coal, very large proportion of which found its market all along the Atlantic coast from Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, up to Boston and into Maine; and recently eff not at present., the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad had a five years contract with West Virginia to furnish them with their en- tire fuel supply. Now if coal is to be let in free Novia Scotia can put her coal all along the coast at a very much less price than West Virginia would be able to do, and would drive West Vir- ginia out of that market. They, of course, would not consent to go out of business, and the consequence is they would seek a market throughout this region, where this district is now finding sale for its coal, and all through South America and Cuba. Today the Atlantic Coast Line is supplying nearly the whole of its fuel from West Virginia, landing 1t at Will mington, Charleston and Savannah, and I believe the only coal bought in this district for fuel consumption by that road is to supply the short division from Montgomery to Wayoross. Their coal can be produced much cheaper than ours and they have already shut us out of a large market which We formerly enjoyed and if their surplus stock is to be thrown south I fear for the coal mining interests in this district When MT. Cleveland was elected President with a democratic House, and the Wilson bill was intro duced and it was proposed to put coal on the free list, this district sent a large delegation to Washington to protest against 1t. Mir. Maben was telegraphed for at New York and met the committee in Washington, and they urged that 1t would be disastrous to the coal mining interests of the state of Alabama for the reasons which I have given
 Pascal Shocks View.
 Pascal G. Shook. when asked what he thought of the pending tariff bill, said that reduction on the Birmingham dis trict products might be good democratic doctrine, but it is not good business viewed from the standpoint of our local interests"
 Continuing the discussion, Mir Shook said:
 Those who support reduction in the tariff duties on the products of this dis trict support a policy which will un- doubtedly tend to restrict the markets and increase the competition of manufac- turers of iron and steel products in the south. A considerable tonnage of pig iron manufactured in this district is mar keted along the Atlantic seaboard for consumption in plants where in some n- stances, no rail rate has to be paid on i'm portations, and reduction in the duties would of course, operate to increase the amount of foreign iron consumed in such plants. Both northern and southern iron now consumed in those plants would have to seek market in territories where for eign iron could not be placed upon a | competitive basis, and this would neces- sariy increase the competition and op- crate to lower prices of home products.
 Nf who have advocated placing ore on the | free list, l have every reason to believe, | own large amounts of ore located in for | eign countries, and are interested in con- | verting plants at or near the seaboard, | and their position on this matter Is doubt | less influenced by selfish motives, and we | of the Birmingham district should fight | with the same weapon We do not want | to import any ore, and the less others | import the better off we will be. Further | we do not want our markets for pig iron 1 and steel curtailed. or any legislation en- | acted that would tend to bring about low | CT prices with the resultant decrease in manufacturing operations and in wages and the retardment of further develop | ment of the districts resources
 ',The basis of the wealth, prosperity and ] future prospects of the Birmingham dis l trct is its ore and coal deposits, and any i legislation which contemplates reducing |
  products, or the manufactured articles made from these products. will neces- sarily prove injurious to the district
 Admitting that it is a local issue it must be also admitted that this is one of the localities which should stand not | only for protective tariff, but for pro hibtive tariff
 Tt should in my opinion, be the earnest desire of every man in this district that sufficient localities whose interests are similarly involved and jeopardized will ] get together and stand together in an ef- fort through their representatives in Con gress, to prevent the reductions proposed. Not only are those directly engaged in the iron and steel business concerned in the outcome of this proposition, but every in- dividual, no matter what his vocation or calling in Jefferson county, and all the of this congressional district. In fact, I think the benefcent effect of the of the present schedules l would have extended over the entire gouth."