Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-17
CONGRESSMAN DAGGETT AND
THE MINING LAWS.

~ sC
Any attempt to make the square mining
location bill q political question is the ex-
treme Of silly partisanship. That measure
was a purely local question. Colorado
wanted the square location for its blanket
ledge prospectors; fissure-vein districts did
not want the bill enacted into a law. How
ever, since a Democratic newspaper has
forced the question into politics, it is ap-
propriate to state that the square location
law was strangled by the persistent efforts
of Republican ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
tive Daggett. of Nevada. Had it not been
for his presentation Of the case and his pro-
test against the enactment of the bill, it
would have been foisted as a law on all the
mining communities, irrespective OF local
ity or geological conditions. The bill was
not in the interest of wealthy mine owners,
outside of owners of carbonate deposits,
and it will be remembered that wealthy
owners Of fissure veins in Nevada protested
against its passage with as much earnest
ness as was displayed by the poorest pros
pector. We can not remember that a soli-
tary newspaper on the Pacific Coast advo-
Gated the passage OF the bill, and the at
tempt to bring the question into politics by
Democratic newspapers is a boomerang; for
Az was ttiIOuSn tuc CuOi v VI ltcpuDllCduS
that the bill failed Of enactment.
The above is from the Enterprise,
which journal is becoming notorious for
its total disregard Of facts. Before this
campaign is over the Enterprise will
learn that 'the square mining location
bill" is one of the l%iveliest kind of live
issues before the people Of Nevada. Mr..
Daggett's record in this connection will
be truthfully presented from every stump
in the State. The modified square loca-
tion scheme concocted at the conference
held at Senator Jones house is a matter
that he will be called upon to explain
and defend. This latter bill is scarcely
less Objectionable than that submitted by
the Land Commission. 1t provides for
locating mines in squares of 900 feet.
1t also contains a nonsensical feature
about the pitch or dip of a ledge. Under
the Daggett theory, if a ledge dip at an
angle OF 25 degrees the miner may fol-
low it beyond the side lines. If it pitch
rs degrees the miner loses his mine the
moment it passes beyond his surface linn
its. And this is the monstrous PROPOSE
ton to which R. NJ. Daggett stands COM
mitted, and this the bill which he has
frequently boosted in his letters from
Washington to the Enterprise that he
would be able to pass without serious
opposition. We do not ask you to &C.
cept u word for it, but consult your
files for five months back, and then ex-
plain, if you can, in what manner Mr..
Daggett ~''strangled this square location
law" Have the fairness also if you
please to give our side Of the story il
full, as we have yours in the above quoted
paragraph.
The miners Of Nevada desire no change
in the mining law. They are satisfied
with it as it is. They have paid enor-
nous sums to have it adjudicated, and
now that they understand it, they want
it let alone. From Eureka alone a petit
ton bearing the names of 1900 miners
was sent on to Mr.. Daggett praying him
let the old law stand without altera-
ton or amendment. Similar petitions
vent up from almost every mining COM
munity in the State. But instead of
the request of his constituents, |
expressed with unparalleled unanimity
by the bona fide miners and prospectors |
Nevada, Mr.. Daggett joined the Colo
'ado blanket ledge boom, and absolutely
became the author of a square location
niquity even more odious than the orr
yInal robbery contemplated by the Land
Commission measure. If we have not
tated the facts will the Enterprise have
he kindness to point out wherein we
ave erred.
Mr.. Daggett, if he expects the sup.
OF miners, should enter the political
rena in Colorado. His services in tink.
ring the mining laws in the interest of
capitalists are not wanted in