The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-06-15
SOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE.


from just across our southern boundary are
more than enough to fire the miners heart
with the generous ardor of the stampede.
Imagine ore yielding twenty thousand dollars
to the ton, by imperfect mill process. NO
humbug about the returns, either, for Mexico
pursues the policy advocated by certain OF
our fellow citizens whose idea respecting doc
trines Of taxation are about on a par Win
those of the average greaser, and imposes a
good round tax on the gross proceeds of every
mine worked within her boundaries. Under
such "a system of grinding taxation a consld-
cradle allowance must be made on the pro-
ceeds of every mine, as reported, to represent
the bullion struggled out Of the country with
out payment of government tax; so when the
ecords of the tax collector give four million
dollars as the annual production of a mine
whose ore is worked by a stamp mill having
mule motive power, we may accept it as es-
tablished that that mine is rich. But the
story of Mexico's mineral wealth is nothing
new. Mines that were worked years and
years ago and made to pay well by the scien-
tific proce 50 of having the ore packed'up long
ladders III the backs of sweating poems were
abandoned at water level, though the ore was
richer than ever, and have been allowed TO
remain untouched until the present day, for
want of pumping machinery. When Hum
boldt made his tour through Sonora he de-
scribed that State rs the richest mineral dis
trict on earth. And yet its mines are now but
littla mora daualnpai than tbav wara in bio
day. We readily understand why. Silver
mining requires capital, and capital is not too
eager of investment in a country where the
government leyies a forced loan now and
then, or where a band of robbers are apt at
any day to make a call at the mine and de-
clare themselves partners in the enterprise to
the extent of all treasure on hand. 1t is be-
cause the law has afforded no adequate pro-
lection to property that Mexico's mineral dis
tricts have remained in great part UNEMPLOYED.
But the remarkable stimulus lately given
mining in the East has made itself felt beyond
our southern line, and several New York
mining companies are now operating in Mex
leo. Notwithstanding the instability of the
country's institutions, and the inadequscy Of
its laws, our energetic fellow countrynent took
the chances of investing their nancy in the
northern tier of mining States, and are now
being richly rewarded for their enterprise.
Their success cannot fail to attract an inflow
ing of mining men from north of the Rio
Grande, and ere long We may expect to find
whole districts of chihuahua or Sonora filled
with Ap,or;onpe into ,,Iooa I,rJ, oil ,~;,;~r
property worth having will speedily PISS. But
the crude legislation of that country will fall
short of satisfying men imbued with Ameri-
can ideas of law, and it will be a miracle,
indeed, if international complications do not
speedily follow. Should such prove to be the
case a little readjustment of our southern
boundary, a shifting OF the line some distance
south OF the Rio Grande, would certainly be
to the advantage of all parties concerned.
That annexation would be for the benefit of
the States drawn within the Union will be
disputed by no one, although doubts may be
entertained concerning the advantages to &C.
crue TO ourselves from any such measure. 1t
would be we'll, though, for those who enter
tain such doubts to remember that the days
when the anti-anneXation feeling took its rise
in the United States, as we'll as the circum-
stances under which that feeling was devel.
oped, have passed to return no more. In the
days of the anti-slavery agitation all move.
ments looking towards annexation were rem.
dered abortive through the desire to maintain
the "balance of power'' existing between the
tun conHiotinr puors ,t +l,o+ t;,,o f,o;n,
each other in this country. Towards the
North all thought of annexation was checked
by the pro-slavery power, the STAKEHOLDER:
knowing full well that States carved from
British terri Dry and added to the Uniol
would be strongly anti-slayery in sentiment
As opposed to this the free soilers objected 1t
the annexation of a portion of Mexico, know
ing that from the necessities imposed by it
climate and geographical position %territor,
annexed from that quarter could only b.
worked up into slave States. Thus one effec
of the ''irrepressible conflict was to proven
annexation, north or south. But those day
have passed, Slavery. like a horrid night
, mare, has vanished. There are no longer tw
conflicting and ~irreconcilable elements t
, prevent the growth of our country ia any di
r~ection. Not only this, but the war by whic
slavery was destroyed opened our eyes for tn
first time to the elasticity and adaman in
strength of our institutions, a happy discover
: Of which we have just received confirmatio
in the ease with which the conspiracy know
as the "third term movement was ovel
thrown. We are strong enough to absorb til
Mexican States, without injury to our institu
tions. The sooner we set about it the soone
will peace and security to property be qua
anteed that revolution distracted country.