Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-15
CHEATED ALL ROUND.
How Uncle Sam is Taken Advantage
of by Mexico and England.
ROBBED In LEAD AND SILVER
Chas. A. Ashburner's Interesting Talk on
Subjects Touching
A SILVER CONVENTION In ST. LOUIS

Charles A. Ashburner, the geologist of
the Pennsylvania State Geological Survey,
has just returned to his Pittsburg Office
from the West. A DISPATCH reporter got
him talking on two important subjects
yesterday.
1.-THE importation into the States of a
large amount of lead ore" said Mr.. Ash
burner, "has become a question of very
great moment out West. Why? Because a
large amount of lead ores are admitted free
into the States over the Mexican border, and
because the value of silver contained in the
ore is greater than the value of the con-
tanned lead. Thereby the mining of lead
silver ores in the United States has become
considerably injured. These ores can be
mined cheaper in Mexico, because the grade
of labor is very low and the wages paid
would not give a respectable laborer in the
United States decent living"
"What popularity of the law permits
this?"
"Why, don't you see the spirit of the tar
if act is to give perfect protection to the
mining OF lead ores in the United States
and levies an import tax on all foreign lead
ores. Silver and gold ores are admitted
free, and by the nullifying construction put
upon the act by the Treasury Department,
it is only necessary for an importer Of lead
ores to mix such ores with higher grade OF
silver ores, which makes the value of the
silver in one ton of ore greater than the
value Of the lead. Thus the ton of ore comes
in free. The lead which this ore contains is
smelter than he could possibly purchase
lead ores from the American miner. con-
slider this constructionEof the law iniquitous,
and hope that the next session of Congress
in Washington will take this matter into
consideration and bring relief.
STUDIES IN SILVER.
However, 1 wanted to tell you something
about the silver question, which is now Gre
ating quite stir out West, inasmuch as its
consequences will not only have an infu-
ence upon the mining of silver, but on
every manufacturing and commercial inter-
est in the Union. am thoroughly in SYM
pathy with the idea that the entire country,
in all of its industries. is beginning to feel
of silver by the United States in 1873 has
been responsible for many subsequent dis
asters. Mr.. Nichols, of the Senate Com
mittee on Mines and Mining, has stated
that since 1873, when tine United States de-
monetized silver, land. Great Britain demone-
tized gold in India, the imports
of silver into India from Amer
lea, Mexico, etc., amounted to 558, oil ,0SS
ounces, equal to 17,437 tons of silver.
This silver Great Britain purchased for
$641 ,045, 900 and coined it into rupees, hav-
ing face value of $124, S45, 900 more than
the silver cost. Now. why should not this
difference have been made by the citizens of
our country instead of England. The wheat
growers OF this country claim that this fact
has been largely instrumental in reducing
during the same period our wheat exports
from 153. 252, ,795 bushels at 81 20 per bushel,
a reduction of 73 per cent in quantity and
SO per cent in bushel value. During the
same period England has not only been able
to maintain the export price of her wheat,
but has
INCREASED THE QUANTITY SHIPPED
to the demonetization of silver. All through
the Western mining centers the people have
become aroused to the fact that there must
be remedy given for this evil, which is
now sucking out every industry in the
country. There will be silver convention
held In st. Louis in October, and the out
come of that convention is watched with
great interest by mining men. 1t is expect
ed that any action taken will be called to
the attention of the next session of Congress.
"But the question is also of the greatest
importance to all who suffer from the single
standard demonstration policy of England.
l. l.
To explain this in simple manner just
note this: England comes over here and
buys her silver from us because we are the
largest exporters of silver. Now we know
that silver dollar is only worth 50 cents in
silver, consequently England only pays so
cents for silver which has a face value of ST.
Then she goes over to India and coins it
into silver rupees equal to the value of ST.
By this scheme England makes Is cents on
each silver dollar, which is q profit we
ought to keep ourselves"