Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-09-23
COAL SHIPPERS ASSOCIATION
HELD IN CHARLESTON

SlIOHS appear WAS mace TO ali
commercial and manufacturing
organizations, Boards Of Trade,
ETC., to join the coal producers in
their fight against the proposed
increase by the railroads Of their
rates for transporting coal to
Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and the
west.
This organization, as well as
all the other district. organiza-
tions of coal producers willmake
the strongest fight possible to
prevent the railroads from put
ting into effect their increased
tariffs. Committees are being
appointed to conduct the fight
and funds are being raised to
finance it.
1t may ultimately be decided
to conduct the contest through
the West Virginia Coal Asocia-
ton, a strong sentiment to that
effect having developed at the
Charleston meeting.
The following statement and
resolutions were adopted at the
Charleston meeting, Friday:
"The effort of the railroad
companies to increase freight
rates fifteen (15c) cents per ton
on all coal mined and shipped
form this state into the markets
west and north and northwest,
has raised an issue, which di-
rectly effects the coal mining in
dustry and indirectly affects
every other industry, CONNER
cial enterprise or financial insti-
tuition within the confines of the
state"
"The proposed action of the
railroad companies to advance
| freight rates on coal fifteen (15)
cents per ton will place an en-
barge on coal production in
West Virginia and cause a sus-
pension of the mines shipping
coal west or north"
"What is Of greater impor-
lance to the people Of West Vir-
GINA the contemplated advance
in freight rates will strike ser
ious blow at every home within
the state. 1t would impede, if
not destroy, the industrial and
commercial growth of great
commonwealth and reduce to
extreme poverty and misery
hundreds of thousands Of indus
trious and thrifty wage-earners
and American citizens"
"The coal mining industry Of
West Virginia has been develop
ed and grown to enormous pro-
portions. not because Of any
special favor shown the mining
industry of the state by the rail
road companies not because of
any advantage in freight rates !;
not because the mine workers
earn less wages than in any 9TH
er coal producing states; not be-
cause of special transportation
facilities, but simply because the
operating coal men of West Vir-
ginia have persistently demon
strated the superior quality Of
West Virginia coal and the ex-
ceptional opportunity for mine
workers to earn high standard
of wages"
eve contend that there is not
an operation within this associa-
ton. or within the state, whose
profit amounts to the sum of
fifteen (15) cents per ton, but on
the contrary is much less than
that sum where profit is shown
at all, and that the consequence
of such increase would be either
to force the sale Of the product
al q loss, :. eliminate West Vir-
GINA coal entirely from the mar
kets effected by the proposed
differential."
eve have no quarrel with the
operators Of our sister coal min
ing states. but we have o right
to resent being imposed upon by
what seems to be the arbitrary
| decision of the railroad com
panies to single out and descrim-
mate agaIrst Vest Virginia coal
producers We have right to
resist by every intelligent and
legal means within our power,
any attempt of the railroad COM
panies to increase the freight
rates fifteen (15) cents per ton
on West Virginia coal. We have
a right to protest against the ac-
ton of the railroads in their at