The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-02-12
In open Later The People Of W|eu T7,giua:
What Do You Think About the Oil and Gas Business?

stations ard hundreds Of miles OF pipe lines with the
lde2 CT making it permanent business costs heavily?
10 YOU know that natural gas IS not a necessity,
but iuxuyy; that for heat and light and manufac-
turing purposes, there plenty Of other fuels such
IS h"rd coid soft coal wood coke oil producer gas
and electricity and therefore, since there are plenty
OF Other such fuels but natural gas preferred because
1t is more convenient, cleaner, simpler TO use and in
some cases less expensive don't you think the people
NJ want to use H. whether :1oy be in West Virginia
CT elsewhere, ought - pay enough FOR it to return
- i..- invested in the business after taking into
account thai it Is business of great present risks
and future urcoi tAAty?
II you had something valuable 10 sell for Which
there great demand, wouldn't you Try to find
market Tor 1t, no matter how far away, which
would pay you reasonable interest on your invest
mcnt and eventually return the money invested?
Would you invest nations ard hundreds Of millions
in any business rl., you could expect your money
to be returned AID profit for your risk?
Don't you tAnl, ;h, you. the taxpayer, the farmer,
the landowner tlc manufacturer, the merchant the
professional man, the furnisLer OF materials the
cmployc, and all ci ycu Who compose the population
of West Virginia, and Who benefit as shown above
from the gas business hope to have these benefits
increased only by allowing natural COS be sold for
q reasonable and rroGttbe price wherever there is
domestic Use?
Do you think it good policy for State that has
great natural resources such as timber gas coal and
oil, and produces them, 10 insist that they shall be
sold cheaper within tie State than elsewhere?
Don't you know that you cannot prevent pro-
ducer from taking his product for sale where he
chooses, whether that product be corn, wheat pota-
toes, coal timber, Gil gas and that to attempt to
make him sell lis product cheaper in West Virginia
than he can sell elsewhere would force the sale of
these natural products elsewhere, and cripple the
industries of your Slate?
Don't you know that the great industries of your
State which natural gas would have just cause
10 complain if by such penny-wise, pound foolish
policy TIE gas companies forced 10 take Their
gas outside the State and thus compel these factories
to shut down awayP
Don't you realize that the Great industrial anl
manufacturing States of this country have become
and continue only by treating fairly and suarey
those industries which situated within their Dor
ders and also that capital, which IS provcrbially
timd, will not go where It fears it viii not get such
treatment?
Don't you think that the prosperity Of the indus
tries and the people Of State is the Prosperity os
the State, and that the State can have no interests
except the interests OF the people Of the State?
These are the questions we ask you, and
we will appreciate it greatly if you will dis
cuss them among yourselves and then COM
municatc with us and say frankly what you
think
Write to as on postal card, or send as a
letter, We aoiU appreciate hearing from you.
This Is orr .Grsj letter 10 you. II 2yU be-
folIooed by others. So give us yow 0ieaos.
We a0iU a0elcome them.
We can answer your questions in our next
letter or possibly direct TO the interrogation.
Ask us any reasonable questions and if it
is possible 10 do so, we will answer them.
You and we are each so deeply interested
in the business Of discovering, producing and
marketing West Virginia's natural wealth
that frank discussion Of It's features will
do us both no harm and may lead to better
understanding.