The weekly Butte record., 1863-08-22
The Administration and the Mines.

system Of sales. The national debt has alrea-
d. reached q figure 50 enormous ss to alarm
the people in the Atlantic States, and it has
become necessary to quiet their fears by as
suring them that they may fnd relief by seiz-
/ ing upon the mines Of California. A crusade
against tie interest of the Pacific coast may,
therefore, be shortly anticipated
/ This project was suggested under the Ad-
miniztration of General Taylor, bat shortly
abandoned. Mr.. Ewing. the Secretary of the
Interior, il his report in December. lS49,
said
If the United States sell the mineral lands
for cash, and transfer at once all with gold
and silver which they contain, but a small
part of their value viii probably be realized
Il would be better, 10 my opinion, to transfer
them by sale or lease, reserying a part of the
gold collected as rent or seignorage."
The Democratic Administrations of Mr.
Polk. Mr.. Pierce and Mr. Buchanan under
stood the true interests OF the country too well
to attempt any interference with the mines
They esteemed it much better not only for the
public welfare generally, but for the interest of
the treasury of the United States, to encour-
age the extraction of the metals By creating
no obstruction to the free use of the public
domain for that purpose. When the precious
metals are extracted they 20 into commerce.
are invested in property and merchandise, and
thus become the subject of taxation and reve-
nue.. 1t is at best a precarious business, and
it is notorious that the mass of miners in the
country hardly realize the day wages of other
employments. Il is only the fortunate few
who meet with any decided success. 1t is q
business, therefore, that cannot support bur
dersome taxation.
Mr. Lincoln's Commissioner of the General
Land Office, in his last annual report, says:
The value of these mines is absolutely
incalculable; to the Government they may be
made to yield, in revenue, Just in proportion to
the number of men employed in working them.
This year they should yield ten millions OF
dollars. and would do so under the operations
Of a well maiured system But to establish
lust system of rerenue from the mines is q
work of time. 1t cannot be done at once
without shock to the mining interest. 1t
should be done gradually, and adapted to the
pecuiariiies Of locality and population
Wlhia ten years the annual prodlct of
these mines will reach two hundred millions of
dollars in the precous metals alone; and in
coal iron tin. lead, qucksilyer, and copper
half that sum, which should give q revenue of
SIS 900 600, aud 81 progressing to a distant
future they may be maze a rich source of
increasing revenue to meet the wants of the
Government and relieve the nation from the
burden Of direct taxation.
For these and many other
reasons, of which the proper limit of this re
port will not permit recital this Office cannot
recommend any measure for the sale OF the
mineral lands; but would advise the retention
Of the fee in the United States, and that they
be held open to free occupation of all our peO-
pie, subject only to a nominal annual license,
and such monthly, quarterly, or annual mode
rate per ceutage upon the product as shall be
prescribed by law. \ limitation as to the
quantity which may be held by any person is
also advised, with the guarantee, that such
quantity may be retained so long as the loca-
ton shall be occupied, worked. and payments
duly made to toe Government"
1t Is sufficiently clear that the Commissioner
contemplates a tax Of ten per cent. upon the
annual product, not upon the profits, in addition
to payment for license.
The Secre' airy of the Interior fully coocurs
with the Commissioner Of the General Laud
Oaice. lie says in his last annual report:
The extensive mineral lands belonging to
the United States. although containing mex
haustble miues of wealth have heretofore been
wholly unproduc;ive As source of revenue.
The products Of these mines have increased the
wealth and prosperity of the country, but the
direct profits upon their production have been
enjoyed exclusively by those who have been
engaged IL mining them. 1t has become a
grave question, to be determined by Congress
whether this policy shall be continued, or
whether these vast mines Of wealth shall not
be made available to aid in liquidatng cur
maternal debt so far as this may be done with
out Injustice to the euterprising men who are
working them. The great auriferous region
OF the United States, on the western portion
Of the continent. extends from 81 30 north
latitude to the ll97. and from 1909 of longi
tuie on the Pacific Ocean, embracing portions
of Daeotah, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexi- |
co, Arizona, Utah Nevada, California, Ore
gon and Washington and covering an area of
more than a million square miles
The Commissioner Of the General Land |
Office. after extensive inquiry from all availa- |
ble sources os information. estimates the pro.
duc1ion OF gold for the present year from the
whole of the country before described. at one
hundred milliouS. II an amount of labor rela- /
lively equal 10 that expended in California had
been applied to the gold fields already known /
TO exist outside of that State, it is believed /
that the production Of this year, including that
of California. would have exceeded four hun /
dred millions. Our rapidly increasing public /
debt demands resort TO every available |
source of revenue. The mineral lands of the |
public domain are the property Of the whole /
people, and justice, as well as sound policy. /
requires that they should be used as q means
of relieving them. TO some extent, from the
burdens Of taxation. Several modes have
been suggested for making these lands produc-
tive to the Government. The granting of
leases hv the Government. the collection of q