The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-07-14
SiIYer-Lead Ores.

A gentleman who was recently through
out the southwest and Mexico, stopped in
FL Paso several days. 1.-THE all-absorbing
topic there" he sa'd, sis the silver-lead ore
question. A large part of the business of
FL Paso comes directly or indirectly
through the Mexican mining industry, and
If the secretary decides to keep out lead
ores it will be quite blow to the interests
of that city. They are watching matters
closely in Mexico, too, and show retalia-
tory spirit which BODIES no good for our in
terests in that country if their ores are
shut out"
On this same question, the New York
Mining journal says: LAS a semi official
confirmation Of the views we have taken
on this important question, and as a further
answer to some OF our ardent though some
what 'narrow-gauge' western contem
poraries, we quote the following expression
of opinion by Mr.. W. L. Thomson, of the
Mexican ore commission, recently sent to
our sister republic by the United States
treasury department to investigate this
subject:
Mr. Thomson says that the proposed rescind-
ing OF the decision which permits the free en-
trance into the United States of Silver-lead ores
from the country would almost ruin the trade of
the frontier towns Of the United States, and that
In his opinion, there was not so much mixing OF
ores to avoid duty as had been represented, al
though such an evasion Of the law was occasion
ally practiced; he further expressed the opinion
that the entire question was of such importance
that il would be referred TO Congress at its
winter session.
In addition to which Major W H Viii
liams, special treasury agent, making this
sameinvestigatiOn, in an interview recently
with the St Louis Globe Democrat, said:
As to the result Of the exclusion Of these low
grade ores, il would undoubtedly cause the
closing up OF the smelters and mines owned and
operated by Americans with American capital,
and would also be detrimental TO the interests OF
the two railroads, which are also controlled by
Americans. All these industries have grown up
under the present rulings of the department,
and il would look hard to remove from them
one of the greatest, and in some cases the only
source OF revenue. At the same time ! am IN
der the impression that Z proper construction of
the law as IL now stands, enforced by thor
ough system of inspection, as the law intends
would keep out nearly all the really objection
able ores. OF course this would hurt American
interests in that country to some extent, but not
nearly so much as total exclusion Of ali low
grade ores, and it seems TO me to offer the best
remedy for the difficulty. The Mexicans are
very sensitive on this point. They are begin
ming to take kindly TO American manufacturers
and TO encourage the importation OF our pro-
ducts into that country, but If we exclude their
ores they would be almost sure 10 retaliate in a
way that would do more injury to the general
public of this country than loss OF duty and the
cutting of Of the competition in lead, which
under proper construction of the law, would
be very little, would do good
The probabilities now point towards the
reference of this question to Congress, as is
proper, rather than to any arbitrary change
in the Interpretation of the law by the
secretary of the treasury"