The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1865-12-15
THE TAXATION OR SALE OF THE
gold AND SILVER MINES.


On the 9Th of November, convention of
those holding mining interests in Colorado
was held at Central City, and action of very
great Importance taken in regard to their re-
lalions to the General Government. The fol-
lowing preamble and resolutions indicate the
spirit Of the convention:
WHEREAS, Various propositions have re-
Gently been presented to Congress, foreshad-
owing q change in the policy Of the Govern
ment, in regard to our mines, looking to the
realization of immediate revenue rather than
their rapid discovery and permanent and
successful development, and
WHEREAS, There is great danger that such
legislation may tend to cripple rather than
to encourage our mining interests. There
fore,
ResolUed, By this meeting of miners and
other citizens OF Colorado Territory,
l. That we respectfully protest against
the application of any system of 1enantryt to
the operation of our mines.
2. Th,t we respectfully ask Congress to
pass law, giving in fee simple, under proper
regulations, at least one thousand ineal feet
of each lode to such person as shall hereafter
discover and develop the same.
| 3. That we ask that tue miners titles to
held by them, be confirmed by Congress.
| 4. That we ask for the establishment of a
| Mining Bureau in the Interior Depar ment of
| the GovernI. .ent, and that Geological Sur
| veys of our mineral regions may be provided
for
A memorial to Congress was drafted, which
sets forth the facts in regard to the mines
and the mining tenures in very strong Ian
guage, and treats the questions connected
thereto with considerable originality of
thought The best point made is this All
other productive employments can collect in
part or in whole, their taxes by increased
prices for their productions, but the miner
alone has his to pay without any possibility
of recovery by increase of the value of his
products. 1t is also very justly and truth
fully represented that tax on bullion, with
out any consideration as to whether it was
proftably extracted, would tend to stop those
mining enterprises which are barely making
their way and thus, many projects of vast
prospective Importance would be stopped
before they could reach the degree of devel
opment requisite to render them profitable tc
the operators.
In regard to the sale of the mines by ar
bitrary divisions, the memorial shows its i'm
practicability, by reason of the nature o
quartz mines. Thus: lode which is nov
Il being worked with great dip, in any par
. ticular direction, is likely TO pitch onto tn
y land of another who had no merit in the dis
covery of the mine, but who bought land
Il on speculation, and waited for better men t
e develop them. Where there are no discov
cries the sale of lands would produce littl
W or no revenue, simply because nobody want
re to buy remote chance at great price an
m the value being according to liueal feet, wit
10 q certain thickness of vein, the usual sui
so divisions would fail to answer in the surye
r. of lands. Sometimes, where lodes crosse
It, each other, it would be impossible for Il
he government to regulate ownership witho
fragrant injustice to individuals.
90 The government has encouraged the d
At velopment of agricultural districts, by Ii
n eral donations of land to those who will il
on prove them. The results are a substanti
nj benefit to both the government and indivi
uals. 1t would seem as if the mining pop
~ lation had an equitable claim on the Cover
=, ment for the same generous treatment, a
the result cannot but be similarly advan
geous TO all concerned.
>---e
my Ice IN THE RIvER.-The steamer Idaho,
OF the Cascades, was compelled to abandon
ing downward trip Yesterday on account of r.