Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-02-19

stations and hundreds Of miles Of pipe lines with the
idea of making it business, costs heavily
Do YOU know that natural gas is not necessitys
but luxury; that for heat and light, and manufac-
turing purposes there 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 more convenient cleaner, simpler to use, and in
some less expensive, don't you think the people
who want to it, whether they be in West Virginia
or elsewhere, ought to pay enough for il to return
the money invested in the business after taking into
account that it is business Of great present risks
and future uncertainty?
II you had something valuable to sell for which
there was great demand, wouldn't you try to find
q market for it, no matter how far away, which
would pay you reasonable interest on your invest
nent 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 riska
Don't you think that you the taxpayer, the farmer,
the landowner, the manufactures, 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 can hope have these benefits
increased only by allowing natural gas to be sold for
a reasonable and profitable price, wherever there is
a Market within the State without, for industrial
domestic user
Do you think II 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 elsewhereP
Don't you know that you cannot prevent pro-
Queer from taking his product for sale where he
cI,oc kta4La hat duct he VIII
toes coal, timber, oil gas, and that to attempt to
make him sell his 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 State?
Don't you know that the great industries Of your
State which use 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 away2
Don't you realize that the great industrial and
manufacturing States Of this country have become
SO and continue so only by treating fairly and squarcy
those industries which situated within their bor-
ders and also that capital, which is proverbialIy
timd will not go where it fears it will not get such
treatment?
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 have 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
municate with US and say frankly what you
think
Write to as on a postal card, or send as a
letter.. We aoiN appreciate hearing from you.
This IS our first letter to you. 1t mill Be
followed By others. So give as your 0aeaos.
I'VE will aCelcome them.
We can answer your questions in our next
letter or possibly direct to the interrogation.
Ask us any reasonable questions and if it
ispossible to 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 its features will
do us both no harm and may lead to a better
understanding.