The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-16

IIrn IN uuneTal wealth. 10 uiAht an aOaolulo
gilt of such territory to those who will de-
yelop their vast and untold treasures, would
be an act Of thrinlcss prodigaty on the part
OF the nation since the largo profits which
comparatively few miners would amass from
"a soil that win never sustain by tillage
dense resident population, would not be coun-
terbuIanced by any adequate rUciprocllodvln-
tare to the Government
Since then, it is cxpod.cni that the nation
should never part with the i's simple of its
mineral lands, some judiciou' policy should
be promptly devised and adopted with a view
10 make them profitable to the nation. 10 is
stated officially that vast belt, ranging from
one hundred to two hundred miles in width.
and eight or nine hun irei milcs-iu length,
embr acing portions Of Idaho, Nevada, and
Arizona, is rich in silver ore; and That
small as have yet been the mining operations
in Nevada, alone owing to the want of the
proper machinery for reducing the various
ores, still, If the mines now opened there were
supplied with the proper means for the pur-
pose, and were thoroughly worked, they
would yield ten millions OF dollars a month,
or one hundred and twenty millions a year.
In his late report upon the subject, tao Secre-
tary of the Interior says
When we reflect that the REGION of country
which deposits Of the precious metals DJuud
includes large portions of th. &C States an SIX
Territories, aud that tue richest veins Of ore
heretofore discovered are az yet bur slightly de-
ytlOped, whilst new uis OvUrles are constantly
maze, It Will ue perceived that the annual pro-
duct OF he mines in the United States must suOn
reach q magnitude without precedent IN the
/ 4
imbtdded in the rocks Of that extensive region is
actually intxhausube, and IL will furnish ia tu-
ture years, indirectly, principal part of our
means Of liIulda'iug the debt contracted by tho
Government for the overthrow Of the gceaE Re-
bllion.'
Assuming it, then. to be conceded that the
Government should make its mineral lands a
means of revenue, both for aiding in the de-
lrayal of its present expenses, and the future
| cxtingushmcnt Of the national debt which is
| being accumulated upon il, the next question
| il cs to the best mode OF enectng the desired
object. Secretary UsuER suggests the crea-
! ton by Congress of Bureau of Mines and
! Minerals, to which the administration OF all
| details in the farming of this vast national
| estate shall be committed and he also pro-
poses the levying of a revenue tax upon those
| who are engaged in gathering individual
wealth from this national property. On this
head he observes:-
"The requirement of moderate license fee
| from each person engaged IN placer mining Il )un
the public domain, and. a reasonable tax upon
| the product OF all mines, which ght be gradu-
ated according TO the cost Of production, would
be lust to the Government and satisfactory TO the
mining interest. When II is considered that
nominal tax Of one per centum upon the present
product of the mines would yield larger income
than ID now derived from tho sale Of the puOlic
landc, with an expense Of collecting IL COmpara-
lively small, aud that the prospective revenue
from this source is great, the mpOlicy of grant
ing the mines and mineral lands in fec, without
consideration, must be apparent TO ALL
Without objecting to the idea Of license
fee 10 be paid by each miner, there may yet
be moro eligible mode Of securing the end
contemplated. The Government, at all
events, should not fail to require such bonus
for the privilege of mining its beds of gold,
silver, and other precious metals, as will bear
a just and liberal proportion to the benefit
which industrious and energetic private enter
prise would be likely to reap from the grant.
This is the 1rst consideration on which Con-
gress should base its legislation upon the
subject.
As regards the best plan for making the
mineral lands Of the Government tributary to
its treasury, opinions may differ. Blu. this, at
least, may be said with some confidence that
a mode Of procedure adopted by individuals
in business, and which has been found to work
benencially for all concerned, could reason
ably be expected to operate quite as well il
adopted by the Government in similar case
In the development Of coal oil territory, il
is the universal custom for the owners o
the fee simple to lease the land Tor term Of
years, reserving, in consideration of the usu.
fructuary right, what is called royalty o
all the oil produced, This system might be
applied by Congress in deriving revenue
from the mineral lands OF the nation. II would
best harmonize the interest of the Govern.
ment with that of the miners, while the
receipts of the Federal Treasury from ths
mines would always bear an exact proportion
to tho profits Of the miners. The principle
at al events, is worthy Of consideration.