Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1880-04-16
purRLIC LAND COMMISSION ONCE
MORE.

rive from mining prospectors helng
driven by ruinous legislation from the
field OF mineral discovery! The men
who would take their places would be
"tender-feet immigrants, wholly mex
perienced in respect to the value OF
ore, or the promise, or lack OF promise,
Of the lodes they may happen to fnd.
The grocer and the tradesman in the
Eastern cities, on ascertaining that
old prospectors were to be compelled
to give mp their claims, would, by the'r
agents, try to secure some OF them.
With the mistaken idea prevalent on
the Atlantic coast, they would suppose
that the possession of silver nine
insured wealth to its owner. They
would gladlyre locate forfeited ground;
but when they discovered the TACT
that it needed labor, skill and patience
to make it productive. they would
abandon everything in disgust. A
change in the law would not bring
any more capital into mining business
than is coming now. Many locations
held at present By prospectors were
taken up years ago, when the coun-
try was infested by hostile Indians Is
it wise or Just torob these men OF their
discoveries, because they are poor!
They are waiting in hope that the day
may come when capital, turning ID
their direction, will insnre them a
/ homestake. What crimes have these
hardy pioneers committed that the
Public Land Commission should re-
commend Congress to pass such oner'
Gus laws, as to working Oh and pat
enting their mines, that they will viz
tually be robed of all they possess!
| The complaint, am aware, is that
prospectors take up numerous lodes
and, while doing little towards open.
ing them, demand larger prices than
investors are willing to give. There
is ground for this complaint, but the
evil will speedily cure itself. And are
not our Legislators to blame for en-
couraging this unsatisfactory state OF
affairs?
1t is only a month ago that bill
was rushed through Congress and be
came law before the public knew
anything Of its provisions, the object
of which was to extend the time ton
doing assessment work on mines tc
nearly two years, in place OF one. i
, provides that the assessment veal
shall not begin until the LIST o. Janu
4 AIRY after location has been made.
4 Under this stupid law, evidentl.
. passed for the benefit of some particu
/ lar district, OF clique If operators, {
n man taking up claim on the I'd day
of January, 1880, need not do any
work upon it till December, 1881
o After passing such an Objectionable
d law, will Congress stultify itself b,
u another enactment requiring work .
a the value Of $500 to be done and /;
G patent to be applied for within year
$ 1t was while The Public Land Com
u mission was III the throcs OF labo
;. (bringirg forth wondruus progen
Of absurdities), that Congress- passe
y the law | have alluded to. Was it a
9 anticipatery measure to balk the leah
i out designs of the commission? If S,
q there is some hope for the prospectol
}. The mining law of 1872 has give
o general satisfaction to practical mil
l. ing men, but every year some ignoi
ant npstart has attempted to chang
its wise provisions. The appointment
' of Land Commission, to revise
/" and make suggestions as to our Ian
i laws enerally, was "A blunder akin I
a crime, mas muc as the men const