The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-13
AN IDAHO PROTEST
Against the Free Admission of
Mexican Lead Ores.
GROSS INSULTS TO AMERICAN
Vessels In San Domingo Governments Pilots
Said to Have Deliberately Beached
and Then Looted Them.

BELLEvUE, Idaho, Aug. 12.-[Special tele
gram to The HERALD. IAN enthusiast,
and largely attended meeting of citizens ant
mine owners was held on Saturday to en-
ter a protest against the free importation
of lead from Mexico, Spain and British
Columbia On motion, committee was
appointed to draft the following resolutions
with authority to transmit the same to the
President of the United States and secre
tary of the treasury:
Whereas, the prosperity and develop
ment Of Idaho territory are largely depen
dent on her mineral resources, especially in
lead mining, it being one of her chief in
dustries, producing large quantities, which
is protected by tariff laws; and,
s'Whereas, Congress, to protect the in
dustry, has levied q duty of one and hall
cents per pound on lead ore; and
Whereas, The lead products of this
territory are represented by labor at as
high prices as prevail il any state or terri
tory in the union; and
Whereas, This, our material and vital
industry, is threatened unto destruction by
competition with peon and cheap labor,
and
Whereas, We fully believe that the tariff
laws were wisely and hnmanely intended
and do protect us, if rightly construed; and
Whereas, This provision of the law is
rendered nugatory by the ruling of the
treasury department by which lead ores
come in free of duty when their silver
contents exceed their lead contents in
value, and under this peculiar and strange
evasion of the law more than fifty thousand
tons of lead ore were imported free of duty
during 1888, and in all probability much
larger quantity. will be imported in the
future; and --
Whereas, American mines are closing
down and throwing thousands of miners
out Of employment, to their great injury
and causing much suffering; and,
Whereas, The people of the west, es-
pecially those interested in the mining in
dustry, are all looking for, and fully believe
that the present administration will grant
the necessary relief as indicated if not
actually expressed in the rational plat
form;
Therefore, Be 1t Resolved, That it is
due to US from the representatives of the
government, that measures be Immediately
taken TO relieve aud protect US;
Resolved, That the free admission of
lead In ores of any character is discrimi-
nation in favor of foreign lead which does
not occur in the long list of other dutiable
articles;
''Resolved, That ore containing lead is
lead ore and is dutiable for the quantity of
lead that it contains;
''Resolved, That the treasury department
at Washington should aid and protect this
industry as a source of wealth of the ma
ton;
''Resolved, That we believe in the power
and wisdom of the Hon. Secretary William
Window to remove the trouble, and we i'm
press upon him the necessity of such
measures as will give to American miners
the protection we believe is accorded them
by law, when rightfully construed and en-
forced. and we urge upon him the fact that
this continued delay is paralyzing the
mining industry of the west and Pacific
coast, and that free trade in ores with
Mexico, Spain and British Columbia will
iniure the interests of the nation as well as
the region where this class of industry is
being prosecuted.
TSigned GEORGE B. HILL.
H. E. MILLER,
j. M. KENNAR,
FULTON HAIGHT,
N. M. RUIGK."