Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-02-12

stations and hundreds of miles of pipe lines, with tn
idea of making it permanent business, costs heavily
Do you know that natural gas is not necessity
but luxury; that for heat and light, and manufac
turing purposes there are plenty of other fuels, such
as hard COAL soft coal, wood coke, oil, producer gas
and electricity and therefore, since there plenty
of other such fuels but natural gas preferred because
it is more convenient cleaner, simpler to use, and in
some cases less expensive don't you think the people
who want to use it, whether they be in West Virginia
or elsewhere, ought to pay enough for it to return
the money invested in the business after taking into
account that it is a business of great present risks
and future uncertainty
If you had something valuable to sell for which
there was great demand, wouldn't you try to find
a market for it, no matter how far away, which
would pay you reasonable interest on your invest
ment and eventually return the money invested?
Would you invest millions and hundreds Of millions
in any business unless you could expect your money
to be returned and profit for your risk2
Don't you think that you, the taxpayer, the farmer,
the landowner the manufacturer, the merchant, the
professional man, the furnsher of materials, the
employee, and all of you 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 gas to be sold for
a reasonable and profitable price, wherever there is
MARKET within the State without, for industrial
or domestic use?
Do you think it good policy for State that has
great natural resources, such timber gas coal and
OIL and produces them, to insist that they shall be
sold cheaper within the 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, oil gas and that to attempt to
make him sell his product cheaper in West Virginia
than he sell elsewhere would force the sale of
these natural products elsewhere, and cripple the
industries of your State?
Don't you know that the great industries of your
State which natural gas would have just cause
to complain if by such penny-wise, pound foolish
policy the gas companies forced to take their
gas outside the State and thus compel these factories
to shut down or move away?
Don't you realize that the great industrial and
States of this country have become
so and continue only by treating fairly and squarey
those industries VIII oh situated within their bor-
ders; and also that capital which is proverbiaIy
timd, will not 60 where it fears it will not get such
Don't you think that the prosperity Of the indus
tries and the people of State is the Prosperity of
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
,uss them among yourselves and then COM
nunicate with us and say frankly what YOU
hink
Write to us on postal card, or send us a
etter. We piU appreciate hearing from uou.
This IS oar first letter to you. 1t aciu be
olloaoed By others. SO gire as you o;eacs.
Ve wW aoelcome them.
We can answer your questions in our next
etter or possibly direct to the interrogation.
SIX us any reasonable questions and if it
possible to do so, we will answer them.
You and we are each so deeply interested
the business of discovering, producing and
marketing West Virginia's natural wealth
nat frank discussion of its features will
o us both no harm and may lead to a better
understanding.