The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-08

ex-senator Y. w. watson anu
brother-in.law, Jere H. Wheelright,
have sold their interest In the Consol.
idation Coal Company to the Rockefel.
Ter interests. These worthless are now
soiourning at Palm Beach, Florida,
compliment in the fact that they have
several cool millions to divide in the
family" and are therefore quite in.
different TO the frantic appeals from
friends and associates "back home, .
who, 1t is said. were left to "hold the
empty bag" This deal Is fraught with
tremendous significance to the people
OF West Virginia and must have a
bearing on the campaign of 1916.
Rockefeller already owns the West.
ern Maryland railroad. which includes
the Davis Coal 6 Coke Co., Maryland
Smokeless Coal Co., the West Vir.
ginia Central & Pittsburgh railroad
and the Buckhannon & Northern Rail-
road Co., all controlled by the New
York Central lines. This deal makes
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.. the largest
single holder of coal lands in America.
Combined with his holdings in other
railroads. gas and oil companies,
banks and corporations, he Is the
mightiest monarch Of money that ever
walked the earth. and his power In
financial circles Is far greater than
that OF Morgan. DreSel & Co., Andrew
Carnegie. James J. Hill, W. X. Van
derbilt, Vincent Astor and the Gng.
genheim corporation all cast together.
What will be the immediate effect
Of this change in ownership, stipend
Gus as It Is? Was the B. & o. protect.
ed in the sale? II not, the prompt
effect to the stockholders will be the
loss OF twenty-five million dollars per
year in freight, because the tonnage
Of the coal fields involved will be ship.
ped over the New York Central lines
and not over the B. 6 o. This road
now has an outlet over the B. & n.
via Connellsville. (More OF this later.)
What OF the political aspect? This
may BIO forecasted by the present at
titude of the Clarksburg Telegram
toward Governor Hatfield. From an
ardent champion 1t has suddenly be-
come friendly critic, but 1t is only a
step from this point to hateful dispu'
tant and a scold. No one will gainsay
that the owners Of the Telegram have
been kind to the Consolidated, both
In politics and labor upheavals. II
has been an ardent Republican protec
tor of the Standard oil Company and
its subsidiary concerns. The Telegram
Is on the inside. 1t probably knows
more about this deal than any other
West Virginia paper, the Fairmont
Times not excepted. Does its present
attitude mean that Rockefeller is go.
ing to fight the Republican admins.
tratioh-that Rockefeller will be a
Democrat, for the time being, in West
Virginia, as he is now, for the time
being, Republican in Colorado? Is
the bitter war now being waged
against Governor Hatfield In Southern
West Virginia by the Charleston Mail
to be re.echoed in Northern West Vir-
ginia by the Clarksburg Telegram,
which the Fairmont Times has sud.
denly discovered to be the strongest
Republican paper In West virginia."
No one will deny that the. Manutac.
turers' Light & Heat Company is own.
ed by the Rockefeller interests. Will
young John d. Rockefeller undertake
to subsidlze West Virginia as he has
Colorado? will he try to elect Rock.
efeller United States senator, govern.
or attorney general and legislature in
West Virginia in 1916 as he did in
Colorado in 1914? These are questions
that the freemens Of West Virginia
should ask themselves now. This pa
per Is going to try to help you solve
the riddle and Il you read the Preston
news from week to week you have the
benefit OF our information, and frank:
ly, we are well advised and will hand
you the latest, hot of the griddle as
the sparks fly upward.
Rockefeller was caustically assailed
and lampooned by the press Of Color
ado when he started to pervert public
opinion, corrupt the judiciary, lobby
the legislature, sandbag county Off.
cials, and Rockefeller the pulpit. He
stopped this criticism In a very simple
manner. He literally bought the press
OF the state. He purchased the Den.
nAafr..