The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-05-22
MONDAY, MAY %, 1916.


epre.entatyo of the ' eoa al operators 5orao 81 a aa iaaouo, cI r p,Top' vIn.o mn in ,9 SeSait
bought
Mr. vinson. be # known. is the originator founder and We, nurse. 50 to-
fpeak. OF the Coal Operators Association. He it "a who conceived the idea
ERIN. were in serious danger and must organize TO protect themselves. What
heir own fair share Of vorkmcns corpqns,tton charge T-,a - is ,h,,
nual imposition Of these burdens on all the taxpayers for the special benefit
IF the coal magnates; and doubtless Col Vinson. who cheishes a coal operator
! 5 something only one degree lower than Divinity. honestly thought tina. the
horrible imposition Of being compelled to pay their own public charges wa
omeWn 'n snoud be orEanized against md fought to te bitter end
In fact. The lntorieencer is reasonably sw that Col Vnson sincerely
and Sc Co. vinson vbon no looks over h. n-oas and neant5nI sta,o % yrs,
do"n in The Norfolk Western regions. and TO him all else is a dreary blank
He got his Coal Operators Association started: he travelled to Farmou,
and made a speech. and 10 Huntington and made another speech. and having
got it organized. he proceeded TO choose "a coal operator candidate for Gov.
rnor n the person OF General Abraham Lilly.
Now. there is nothing wrong with Mr. Lilly. so far as The Ineuieencer
Ento the fturc. sorer1Ir declared in M. -@r.c9sa Of r,nv v,ro1s.. amy, y an
20 be dis5arrcd from the practice OF law" Probably. if Col vtnson could
Goal Operators Association would need a candidate for governor IN the wear
1916 he would have been more careful in his Hnsuare
%e' aicT DOSING owe ue h'- for a c'nl'd"'e likely TO do The bid
|dns and to perform The service which ID" and bis Association demanded. Col
james , iIushc+ to become General Iluys political manage M the
more or less business. and spending more o less Coal Association money
But things have not gone entirely we'll with the ruvIushcs outfit Ap
Coi I'D Huston. Col Bill NcKon and Col Bill" ora. not TO speak Of other
coal arons whose modesy keeps them in re background had planted in the
EE ..N @L A.A L. L- A-A A-AAR anu ALLLAAE COL ALLI MINI
self r seems has taken up tho good work In person
That u.s. The In'elI-encor believes a new departure FOR Col Vnson. The.
lntoHIgencer has known Col. Wilson'S political activities for some twenty
years u has known him te me- of the most vigorous and dangerous oppo
nens Of the TAX laws passed by the Republican party iu 1905 Il remembers
him as a leader i'm tho fight to- prevent oil. gas and coal leasehoIds 10 be taxed
It remembers him as th" leader o' Tho coal and gs lobby in some four or i've
legislative sessions u has a most vivid recollection OF bis activities during
the legislative session ~ 1915. when he organized tho Democratic Republican.
opposition % rho Duty bin. which proposed q TAX on Goa. operations. sufficient
10 pay for the miners hospitals and mine Inspection and to tho Pierce BILL
which proposed the modest tax Of ono fifteenth Of q cent per thousand cubic.
feet o gas transported twenty-five miles N a pipe limo r. remembers Col
vinson also IS The leading opponent OF tho worsmeH- compensation law jim
the session OF lsl3 and The most vigorous opponent Of proper amendment 90
that law. requiring the coal companies to bear their own casualty charges In.
the session Of 1915 o. remembers him. in fact a. the effective and very
active leader OF the lobby which the special interests have maintained AL
Charleston during me past ten years and as tho opponent OF practically every
piece or progressive legislation this state has put on is statute books.
Under tho circumstance, therefore" The Intelligence welcomes Co. Win
sons appearance Boz Ho. stump as uo champion, defender d.corcrc- rroar
onist protector and guardian OF Hc Lilly candidacy o. ie tho proper place for
Col Ninson TO appear In owes BE- FIRST 20 Tho coal operator eentomen. who
have r1iidcssy and irroc11F or course" invested "a great MANI thousand
dolars in Co. LIgs candhlscv Do owes r also fo himself be- 70 citizen. be-
cause he has fsd. and eMd frequently that "tbc Lily BE- not On for public Office
and ought 10 DO dstarrd from ro practice of law" and therc e no more
eHecuv" work that COL Nuson could do 70 keep mo unfit Mr Lilly out of
public Office than by taking 'e stump IN Dis behalf
Col Nr7on is a polished af. I1elhfo gentleman fU- fpccrhe- win Dc
literary gems The 1n.oiIrenrrr know. mo ono with rhom "a rcaaan. social
hour could b" spent moro arrnatr. and NJ mo- ono whom Tc Republican
voters NJ Wet vl-nna ar f,a likely 10 accept as orr adviser