The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-09-20
To Enlist in the Fight against
Scheme to Ruin Coal Indus
tryin This State.

Alta meeting Of the Kanawha Coal
Shippers Association. held In Char
lesion few days ago, a strong ap-
peal was made to all commercial and;
manufacturing Organizations, boards
of trade, ETC.. to join the coal pro-
Iducers in their fight against the pro-
posed increase by the railroads OF
rates for transporting coal to Ohio
Indiana. Michigan and the West.
This organization, as well as all.
the strongest organizations of coal
producers will make the strongest
fight possible to. prevent the railroads
from putting into effect their increas-
ed tariffs. Committees are being APP
pointed to conduct the fight and
funds are being raised to finance it.
It may ultimately be decided 70 con-
duct the contest through the West
Virginia Coal Association, q strons
sentiment to that effect having
developed at the Charleston meet4
Ing.
The following statement and re-
solutions were adopted at the Char
lesion meeting;
"The EFFORT OF the railroad CONE
panies to increase freight rates If.
teen (16) cents per ton on all coal
mined and shipped, from this state
into the market west and north and
northwest, has raised an issue, when
directly affects the coal mining in
dustry and indirectly affects every
I'M kFry {n1
or financial institution within the con-
fines OF the state. az
THE proposed action Of the rail-
road companies to advance freight
rates on coal fifteen (15) cents per
ton will place an embargo on coal
production invest Virginia and cause
a suspension OF the mines shipping
coal west or north. ~
What is Of greater importance to
the people 81 West Virginia the con-
templated; advance of.freight rates will
strike q serious blow at every home
within the state. It would impede
II not destroy, the Industrial and, COM
mercial growth of a great common
wealth and reduce to extreme poverty
and misery hundreds OF thousands Of
Industrious and thrifty wage-earners
and American citizens.
"The coal mining industry OF West
Virginia has been developed and has
grown to enormous proportions. not
because of any special favor shown
the mining industry. OF the state by
the roalroad companies; not because
OF any advantage in freight rates;
not because the mine workers earn
less wages than in any other coal
producing states; not because Of
| special transportation facilities, but
simply because the operating coal
men Of. West Virginia. has persist
emily demonstrated The superior
quality Of West Virginia coal and
the exceptional opportunity for mine,
WORKERS to earn a high standard Of
wages.
We contend that there Is not an
operation within this association, or
within the state, whose profit amounts
to the sum Of fifteen .t1Sl, cents per
ton, but on the contrary Is much
less than thu. SIM where is shown
at ali, and that the consequence OF
such increase would be either. to
force the sale of the product at a
loss. or eliminate, West Virginia coal
entiraly from the markets affected by
the proposed differential.
I'VE have no quarrel with the
operators Of our sister coal minnie
states. but we have a right to resent
being imposed upon by what seems
Ito be. the arbitrary decision OF the
railroad companies to single OH. and
discriminate against West Virginia
coal producers. We have a right 10
resist By every iNteilieept ara legal
means within our power, auy attempt
Of the railroad companies TO 'ncrease
the freight rates fifteen f16) cents per
ton on West Virginia coal. We have
"a right to protest against the action
Of. the roalroads in their attempt to
lccmDei West NiFsInl.s ecsl shippers