, 1863-01-24
Project Of Taxing our Gold and Silver
Mines.

Project Of Taxing our Gold and Silver
Mines.
The Commissioner Of the General Land Office
Judge Edmunds, broached the idea of taxing the
gold and silver mines located on the public lands
in letter to the Senate Committee on Public
Lands, dated the 10th of April 1862. He has
followed itup by introducing IN his annual report
some remarks in regard to the mines, and the
means of raising revenue from them, which we
have deemed of sufficient importance to copy
He assumes that the interest on the public in.
debtedness of $77800O,00O could be paid by the
levy of tax of eight per cent. on the produce OF
the mines, when they are fully developed. At six
per cent. the interest the pubic debt as esti-
mated above, would be $46,6S0,000 year, and
to produce this amount by an eight per cent. tax
on the gross proceeds of the mines, they would
have to yield S5S3, $4,000 The Commissioner
estimates, in round numbers, the full capacity OF
our mines for the production of gold and silver
at $400 100000. This shows that the calcula-
ton very loose, as he does not even cipher
out the sum necessary to produce the amonnt de-
sired at eight per cent. He states the produce OF
our Salmon river mines at $20,000,000 for the
past year when, in fact it its but little more than
one third of that amount. He thinks the total
product of the gold and silver mines is about
$780, 200, 900 for the present year. We do not
mines is but we know that the yield of the Pa
cifc coast is about one tenth of the sum necessa-
ry to taise the interest fund on TIE assumed ma
tonal Indebtedness, at tax Of eight per cent, or
about S5S,350,000. This sum Of money is pro-
duced by abou. 10000 operative miners, and to
produce S5S3, 100000 it will be necessary to
have 100000 operative miners. The total popu-
laton of the American territories on the Pacific
coast is not more than 100000, if SO much. A
little more than one-tenth of the entire popula-
sion are miners. In the same proportion, our
mountain gold-bearing ranges will have 7,000,-
600 of human beings before this scheme of rails
ing fund to pay the interest on the national
debt can be carried INTO effect,
The Hon. Robt ]. Walker, President Pierce's
able Secretary of the Treasury, is also out in the
Continental with a scheme to sell the gold and
silver mines, which may be looked upon the
one which the Government is desirous of adopt
ing, since it is known that Mr. Walker is entirely
in the confidence ofthe President. He proposes
in brief to give the miners now occupying gold OF
silver lads perfect title. establishing the lines OF
their claims and issuing to them patents by the
boundaries so fixed; then to sell other lands acre
by acre, TO the highest bidder above a minimum
price, which is to be established by commissioners
appointed for each four townships where there is
a mining population. The plan is elaborated be-
yond our space to publish or capacity to condense
but it has some good points, and is beyond com
parson superior to the idea of levying tax on
gross products.
The sale of the mineral lands will undoubtedly
meet the energetic protest of the mining popula-
ton of this coast. 1t should at once lead to a
lively discussion of the merits of the plans to tax
or sell those lands. The sale of the leadminng
lands in Northern Illinois is a case in point. The
attempt to levy tax of one-sxteenth on the gross
products of lead proved failare. The Govern
ment kept a mining agentin Galena to lease lands
to miners, under what was called permits" AL
most without exception, the sixteenth failed to be
collected. IN a attempt was made to make the
| lead-melters account for the lead which came inc
their hands, which was also futile endeavor. Al
length the lands were sold, in spite of the ohjec
tions of the people, who believed it to be ruin
GUS to the mining interest. The best proof o
the contrary is found in the increased prosperity
of the mining interest in that section an increase
which began to show itself as soon as the lands
were sold.-Oregonian