Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1910-10-13

=
ceipts and expenditures of the
State mines have been as follows ;
Receipts = 1907, S66A832.54
1908, S6I3,8I5.26; 1909, $472, $50
Of. Disbursements = $39o,53I.7 70 ;
1908, S372, $500; 1909, S374,227.-
40. Surplus = SOS, 3oo.84; 1903,
S24o,93o.22; 1909; $9S,I55.I2.
Receipts = 1910 to September 1,
| $339,IIo.53. Disbursements-I9Io
to September I, S34o,474.4o. Loss,
$I,363.67.
| From this table, it appears that
the receipts have decreased year by
year and the expenditures have
| held their own, in such a way that
the profits have gone steadily down
ward, until the year 1910, up to
September 1, shows a loss of
| $I,363.87.
Now, remember, that there are
about 1000 convict laborers in the
State mines, and the State, of
course, does not pay them a cent of
wages. If the State were paying
for its labor, how long would it be
until the mines would be bankrupt?
The view taken by the coal opera
tors and miners is voiced by the
following statement in a recent is
sue of the Appalachian Trade Jour
nal:
The State mines have every adj
vantage over the legitimate opera
tor and are still in a position to
command the highest possible price,
yet State coal is sold continually
far under the market. Every buyer
of coal considers certainty of deliv-
cry for several reasons. There are
never any labor troubles at the
mines. There are no holidays ex-
cept Sundays. These conditions are
great advantages and ones which
legitimate operators do not enjoy to
the fullest extent. ....
The car supply is another prob
lem with which the legitimate OPP
orator must contend. 1t is doubtful
if the State mines ever suffer from
car shortage If the State suffers
from a car shortage, the State
Railroad Commission would un-
doubtedly inquire closely into the
cause, and would probably remedy
the matter. Large buyers of coal
know these facts. They appreciate
the value of certainty of delivery
and would willingly pay the high
est market price. In the face of
this, State-lnined coal has been
thrown on the market under mar
ket prices to the injury of the legi-
innate operator in not only displac-
ing his coal, but in demoralizing the
trade" ..
When such reckless policy is
pursued in marketing the coal it is
safe to assume that similar unbusi~
ness-like methods are followed in
the production.
That provision in Our platform
which favors a law providing for
the rigid inspection of State banks
is in line with the best modern
banking and business principles. 1t
would result in the better protection
of the stockholders, depositors and
patrons of State banks. There
have been a considerable number of
State bank failures in Tennessee,
in which the public - and many of
them the poorer and weaker class
have suffered great loss. This
loss in many instances would have
been prevented by a rigid inspec-
ton law. This law would be good
for the banks as we'll as the public,
as it would increase the confidence
of the public and consequently the
business of the banks.
REDISTRICTING STATE.
That clause in Our platform which |
declares that the next Legislative,
Judicial and Congressional Dis
tricts, in total disregard of the po-
litical complexion of the county or
district, is morally correct, but |
fear that it is too Utopian ever to
be fully realized. l do believe,
however, that with the present tenn
per Of the better elements of all
parties, the r 1istricting can and |
will be done with substantial JUS
tice, and a great improvement |
wrought over the present notori-
ously unfair conditions. Aside from |
all partisan considerations, the
present unequal apportionment of
the State into Legislative and Con
gressional Districts is unjust from
the standpoint of fair and equal
representation of the people in the
enactment of legislation. We have
conditions that border closely on
taxation without representation"
If two counties have the same pop
ulation and yet one has two repre-
sentatives to the others one, each