The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-06-25
MAKE RAILROADS
DO DUTY SAYS
GDODYKOON1Z
Big Coal Operator Sends
Hot Telegram to Sen
ator Sutherland,
SOME VERY PLAIN TALK
If They Could Get Cars OPP
orators Would Supply
Coal.
fsnscial plspatch 10 west vIrglnIanl

Especial Dispatch TO West Virginian)
WASHINGTON, D. c., June 25.-
Contracted into brief telegram re-
ceived today by Senator Howard
Sutherland from President Of the State
Senate, Wells Goodykoontz, are the
principal arguments of that large, Sob
er, cool.headed part Of the population
Of the country, who fail to perceive in
the rampant clamor Of an other ele'
ment Of the population that govern.
mental seizureNof private properties
Communicating for the time OF the
warts the sure-fre cure-tll and pan.
acea for all the industrial Ills, tantcled
and real, present and future, with
which this country is presumed to be
sorely afflicted.
Wiring Senator Sutherland from his
home at Williamson, President Goody'
koontz said:
"Press dispatches say that the
Federal Trade Commission recon-
. mends that the government take
over coal mines and operate rail-
and water transportation. 1t is
time for Congress to call halt
upon the wild plans of lot of men
who have lost their heads.
"The government has already
senongh,to do without invading the
fields occupied by men and coZpor. !
ations engaged in the pursuits OF
" civil life. II the step mention.
ed IS taken, where willrt It endI
,Will only end when every actiy- :
}ffy OF. private life has been absorb
V ed, Coal, OIL, gas, iron, cotton,
rice, corn, wheat, lumber and all
else will come within bureaucra-
tic control. Mining manufacture,
agriculture, sea faring and com.
merce will become bound hand and
foot by Office holders ignorant to
the same extent they think them
selves wise.
aThe facts are these: The pres
ent high prices have stimulated
the greatest possible activity In
the productionof coal. Little mines
are being opened and coal hauled
In wagons and loaded into railroad
cars. on commercial sidtngs. Thous'
ands of acres are ready for de-
yelopment. The sole and only
trouble is the lack of railroad
cars, The railroads have been
allowed to increase their rates un-
der promise to buy new equipment,
but the new equipment has not
been forthcoming.
aLet the Interstate Commerce
Commission compel the railroads
to open sidings for new devloP'
ment and to require railroad Of
flcers and agents to dispose OF
their stock in coal mining COM
panies and coal selling agencies
and it will not-be long until the
price of coal will recede to its nor
NAL figure.
Germapized."
II hardly need be said to West Vir-
ginians that President Goodykoontz
Is an authority on the coal situation
In his state. AS one of the leading
LAWYERS in one Of West Virgfnias
great coal fields, his professional bust
ness has had almost all to do with the
coal industry. AS an investor in coal
properties and companies, he has had
years Of opportunity to familiarize
himself with it from the standpoint
Of practical business man who has
put his money into that development.
Whatever the situation may be IN
other coal.bearing states, the fact re.
mains, supported by abundant evidence.
including the recently-made report Of
the Federal Trade Commission, that
the allotment Of railroad cars to the
mines is inadequate in number and
unsatisfactory in distribution. GIVE
Us the cars and we will give you the
coal" say the West Virginia operators
to the government.
"If we had the cars justified by the
demand for COAL say the West Wiz.
ginia operators, I'VE could increase
our output for this year, from July l
to January /, 1918, 25,OOO,OOO tons"
To those who know the average annual
output Of West Virginia mines, that
would be "going some" But the op
( orators say that they can do 1t to the
ounce, and maybe better, If they had
the cars.
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