New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-05

r.:,,t o matter OF surprise that these opth
ions should be entertained by all wnoli@'e w.
i;ad the results of this system Inc sauIo III Nj.
ookld snccessively of the lead mines OF AilS
"ele heII d fIlnois and Of the lead and copper
Aoul. r. Arkansas Northern Michigan ana =" Is
n.lnS1 AZ on additional reason, however, lUi en9
~ tIia svstern In California, 1t is aiie6Gu
tbet the soil in many OF the placera .Se-ai1
~aInajess except for the mineral 'oun 1 theiond
and that when that mineral IS " The naot
i; Tuorfb nothing When the history " a. -
~ frence to this question: is conslueiou' ~
VIII iet rJ that there are few II any po'ats OF
~ ~ az " that like causes have produced IKE
daae. all fbese States, and that the same re-
cults will probably be experienced ca Tue acinc'
r tbe leasing system is introduced there
: Ttom the beginning the Government has mani
Fosted desire TO retain an interest in lands con
toinine valuable minerals. This Is natural ieel-
inc in those, who, dazzled by the supposed value
Of the treasure, periodically desire that the 0oy
eminent should share IN 1t. W hen experience,
however shows that tie cost OF obtaining this
sbare by the leasing system exceeds the benefits
derived from it, and is attended by long tram OF
serious evils that ystem should at once be aban-
doaed
The first action on the part of the Government
in relation to this subject was the ordinance OF
18th April 1885, by which one-thrd part OF all
gold silver, lead and copper mines, was reserved
10 the United States. Here tt will be perceived
that it w as not proposed to reserve or lease the
land-the genius and spirit OF the people would
not have tolerated that system OF vasalage
This ordinance provided that the lands should
be sold, but that in accordance with a usage then
in force in Europe, portion OF the valuable mlnes
4herein should remain to the sovereignty
The next was the Joint Resolution OF 10th OF
April, 1900, directing the employment OF an agent
10 collect information relative to the copper mines
Of Lake Superior ii. ~. NO.,
report was made In accordance with this res
olntion bnt no further action was had IN relation
TO these rnines till after the treaty "lth tne mp
pewas Of 4th October, 1912, by Whlch that couur
try was acquired. The third were the acts Oh
sd March, 1907, authorising the President 70 tease
the Lead Mines in the Indian Territory.
Under these laws the leasing system was
adopted Of the early operations OF 1t we nave
but little information as the mineral ahHs "eIc
placed under the control Of the War Department
in 1921 and prior TO that time there was put ittie
il any thing done in it.
The first official information [ have found Is con
tanned in the Report OF the Secretary OF Mar,
of the 10th February, 1S43, in which 1t IS stated
that the whole amount OF rent lead received Dy
tbe Government in 1871 and 1892, was 1921
mounds. worth about Sl600-a sum that would
not moro than pay the annual salary OF one oil the
Superntendents employed in the service. BY 4
aubsequent Report from the War Department. 1t
was shown that the rent received IN 1913 ana
1874, amounted to 242,Sl5 pounds OF lead, worth
shout 81 B5G-While the amount expended on &C
count Of Mineral Lands by the Government, IN
GLIDING salaries of officers, &c during the same
period was $20,729, making an actual loss to the
Government by the operation oil Sl5,o'5' II 10
this be added the amount that would nave been
realized from these lands, II they had been sofa al
the ordinary minimum Of 81 % per acre and the
expenses. costs &c. that grew ont of the vast
number Of suits instituted by the United States
TO recover rent due by deiaulting lessees, to va
cate fraudulent entries, dc. it would amount to q
Bun in comparison to which the loss aboyemen-
Il %nl1
consequence Of active measures having been taken
by the District Attorney for that purpose great
er amount Of rent was received but without any
abatement OF the attendant evils. so fully was
Congress satisfied OF the nexpedlency OF this
system, with reference to revenue, and OF the ac-
EuaI loss that the Government had sustained from
IL that on the Sd March, l849, an act passed,
authorizing the President of the United States,
TO cause the valuable lead mines reserved In the
State OF Missouri, to be exposed to public sale,
eubject TO the ordinary minimum This was fol-
lowed by the act OF 18th July, 1916 directing the
mineral lands of Illinois, Southern Wisconsin,
md Iowa, to be sold by the acts OF LIST and Sd
March 1647 directing the sale OF the valuable
copper mines Of Lake Superior &c.-and finally
by the act Of goth September, 1880 reducing their
minimum price to that OF ordinary public lands
Thus it is seen that tue whole the leasing sys.
tenn and the reservation OF the mineral lands on
account of their supposed value, alter the expert
once otneary fifty years have been hnaliy abolish
ed in some OF the richest mineral regions on inc
face of the earth and that, so far as exhibits have
been made it is shown 10 have been a loss to the
Government directly to considerable sum ana
indirectly to avastly greater amount.
Itmav be well to consider also the effect OF this
system upon the morals OF the community IN "hich
it existed.
Having only temporary connection with the
goil and that ola character cnculatedto stimulate
every effort for their own pecuniary advantage c,
the lessecs had no inducement to aid IN sustaining
the laws or encouraging apropeF moral TONE III tue
community. Success III mining operations secured
wealth. failure produced poverty, want and their
attendant evils These mutations begot spirit
of wild specuatng hazard, which in many cases
was carried out the tuliest extent and assisted
in corTupting the moral sense and feelings OF many
in the community. The Government was regard
ed ns n rich landed monOpOllst, that had no eellng
in unison with the interest OF the tenant, but was
rather striving to strip him OF part the earnings
of his toll and privations. Hence arose feeling of
resistance to the Government and laws, and a dis
position TO evade those laws amt the Obligations
of contracts by every possible expedent Con
scious of this kind of vassalage, the miners learn
ed to look upon their Government with feelings oil
dissatisfaction and iii Will and to manifest theRe
sentiments in bitter Complaints and remonstrances
This constant warning for wealth stimulated
also feelings of Cupidity, which were increased oy
consciousness of oppression, and induced the
miners not only to avoid, whenever practicable
the payment OF tribute or rent, but also to en-
croaoh on the rights of each other,
Unceasing litigation WAC the consequence be-
tween the Government and miners, and among
the miners themselves, either for the collection OF
rents, or to remedy some real or supposed wrong.
The familiarity with vice thus induced, by q
natural transition extended to individual and so
cial relations, the whole producing state of socie-
~ that could only be realized by personal obser-
walton but which was well known to exist TO a
Freoter or less extent in all the mining districts
where the leasing system was in force.
Communities were kept IN Unceaslng turmoil,
ferment, litigation and bloodshed, by this odious
system, and that these evils were thus caused is
evident from the fact that after the ebrogaton of
that system, the same communities are as orderly,
peaceful and law abiding as any people IN the
world
The leasing system was also tho cause Of much