Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-05-02
CANNOT HURT STATE
Figures Complied by Republicans
Show That We Export Coal
Despite the Tsriff.

WASHINGTON. April - As evi.
dence that the coal INDUSTRY Of West
Virginia win not be affected in any
way by the removal Of all tariff duty
from coal as IS proposed IN the I'm.
derwood tariff bill now under consider.
alton Ia congress. the statistics Of Tho
Department OF Commerce formerly the
Department of Commerce aud Labor,
are very interesting, The figures
were collected while tbe Republicans
were In control OF the government and
"a Republican secretary a the head Of
the department. so n cannot be said
that the figures have been iuggled 60
sustain the Democratic contention.
Those figures we're given out by Sec.
Rotary Redileld In connection with fg.
ures on other articles OF commerce
and are not Intended TO have any bean
ing on the tariff bill
The official figures Of The department
o. commerce show that the exports or
coal from the United States 10 foreign
countries for the current fiscal year
have increased practically 30 Ia per
cent over the figures tor 1898 The
department places the exports sor
coal for The current year at approSi-
mately $e00o0.00o. compared with
s6o.o0o,0ao for the year 1909. Cana
da Ia the best coal customer Of the
United States according 10 the ON
oial figures,
For many years the demand Tor a
tariff on coal has been accompanied
by the assertion that the United States
cannot compete with canadiaa coal
which Il has been asserted can be
shipped TO the United States al less
cost than the United States coal can
be put on the market. The figures
OF the department OF commerce effect,
uaily refnte such a statement tor II
the Canadian coal could compete with
that 81 the United ssases iie ecal
from this country would not End a
market in Canada. The very flet
that some ninety million dollars worth
Of coal IL exported from this country
In d year and that Canada q 3 ~ best
customer 10 coal shows that The duty
cuts little figure In the coal market
and that our coal win find as ready
sale without duty as with one.
Notwithstanding every one Of the
five Republican Congressman from
West Virginia voted for free coal In
the last Republican congress, II is
now being circulated by Republicans
In West Virginia that the Democrats
are about 10 destroy the coal business
by removing the duty on coal. The
Republican Congressman, Hubbard,
Sturgiss, Gaines, woodward. and
Hughes. who voted in 1910 TO remove
the duty from coal knew then as they
know now that the duty does not ef-
feel the coal market OF West Nirginla,
which depends upon the quality OF It's
product for a market and can find a
market because Of the quality Of It's
output, at almost any time, and In
competition with the world.
Another reason why the coal OF the
United States can compete with all
other Goals Of the world Is that the
American mining methods are super.
Tor TO those Of other countries The
figures OF the department Of commerce
show that the average output OF coal
per person employed in the United
States Is 800 tons while the average
for Great Britain Is $50 tons, for Ger
many $40 tons, for France 1888 tons,
and for Belgium 1874 tons.