Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-07
REMOVE THE RESTRICTION.

Delegate Toole has written a letter to
Senator Mitchell OF Oregon, in which he
ably sets forth the advantages of leaving
foreign capital free to invest in mining en-
terprises in this country, and the injury
the alien land law Ices in preventing it.
He shows that the size OF mining claims,
600 by 1 800 feet, for quartz. and twenty
acres for placer, are not such as is ever
likely to become a menace to this country
by alien occupancy, since, once their min
eral resources are diminished, they are
valueless. The original owners of these
claims, those who nave discovered them.
failing to obtain money in the country to
assist them, seek a foreign market for the
cheapest money wherewith to develop them
and having obtained it, are able to furnish
employment to hundreds in this country in
the expenditure of the means raised
abroad in American machinery, supplies
and mems wages. tits a fact, accordingto
Mr.. Toole. that foreign capital has been
the pioneer to lead the way for American
capital. apparently more timid, to follow
when it realized the profit of investment in
a new field. He e~nlarges upon the immense
number OF lodes, u~ndeveloped and, in fact,
undiscovered, which will tax the capital
OF this country for years, and in
stances the mines OF a COM
paratively Insignificant county Of
England, so far as size is con-
cerned, which has, though developed for
800 years, furnished new discoveries in
recent years. He shows that, though min
ing in the main is a profitable industry,
the returns OF most mines to the owners,
after the expenses OF working are paid, are
but a fairtpercentage,on the investment, Oft
en- less than the local rate OF interest in
the United States. The outlay that has to
be made from the first development of a
prospect is spent on American machinery
and supplies. Already, since the passage
OF the alien land law English money has
been invested in the Spanish speaking
provinces of this continent and Africa and
that means the purchase of English
machinery and supplies to work them. He
thinks Senator Mitchell's plan OF amend
ment to exclude mining claims from the
operation Of the alien land law the simplest
VIVA O0CSs ~ W ~PplCACAu ludl
some compromise will have to be agreed
upon and suggests that the mine owners
have power to lease their properties to
aliens for a period say not exceeding ninety
nine years" and that section 2 of the act
SHOULD not operate against mining COM
panies owning . limited number of acres OF
real estate" The leasing plan can
never be as satisfactory to foreign
investors, as the exclusive ownership
Of the property can be, aud unless Nr.
ToOle can convince member OF Congress
of this fact, about which he himself has n,
doubt, there will be mnch less English .r
other foreign capital find it's way to the
Territories than formerly. Considering the
enormous amount of undevelo,rHI iniserat
territory still to be worked here, the dog.
in-the-manger policy of the alien land law,
as far as regards mining land, is the most
absurd that was ever placed on the statute
books. Recently a company was organ
lied in London with $15, OOO, 900 to oper.
ate in mortgages and general investments
in Mexico which has received a stimulus
lately in the direction OF mining develop
msnt whittier English capital will be sure
to flow. Every one is willing to admit that
the obnoxious act should be amended in its
application to mining property and the
measure Of relief proposed by Senator
Mitchell is the one that should be adopted.