, 1889-05-09
LABOR FOR LEAD.
Powerful Pressure Brought to
Bear on Secretary Window.
The Board of Trade and Mining
Men Pass Resolutions.
Urging Reversal OF the Tariff Ruling
which Admits the Importation Of
Lead Ores Free nf Duty.

dom, secretary OF the treasury, had de.
cided to reopen the hearing as to the dis
elimination in tariff rulings against Ameri
can lead producers. and the accompanying
recital of the grievances of American
miners, occasioned a great deal of aRita-
tion among mine owners and business
men generally throughout the Pacific
Northwest. The REVIEW deemed the
matter Of sufficient importance to tele-
graph to the Associated Press, and the
facts were published simultaneously
throughout the country, arousing similar
sentiment in all sections where lead inter-
eats are held.
IN PORTLAND
meetings of the board of trade and mine
owners we're immediately held, and Mayor
Van Is. DeLashmut WAS appointed n dee-
gate to proceed at once to Washington and
appear before the treasury department
May Is, 10 behalf of the lead producers and
the commerce. of the North west. Before
starting he wired Mr.. Warren Hussey of
Spokane Falls ~ follows:
"Our board of trade will call a special
meeting to urge the secretary of the treas.
ury to change the ruling regarding the i'm
portation of lead ores, The mine owners
here held meeting this afternoon. |
leave tonight for Washington. Have the
send a delegate
A JOINT MEETING
OF the board of trade and mine owners was
held at the board of trade rooms in this
city last night, President Tay lor explain.
ed the purpose of the meeting, substantial.
ly as stated in Tuesdays REVIEW. To
further elucidate the Importance of i'm.
mediate action he laid before the meet
ing the folio wing letter,
PROM COMMISSIONERS.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May l.--Editor
Butte lnter-M ountan The secretary Of
the treasury has designated the 18th OF
May rs the day to hear the testimony Of
the parties interested in the production and
importation Of lead ores.
In October OF last year | was commits
stoned by the United States senate com,
mittee on mines and mining To- report on
certain matters in the interest Of the Pa.
cidc coast. When iasUtah l was informed
by the producers Of silver and lead that a
large quantity of lead ores were smuggled
into this country AS silver ores. AS soon
as l finished my work | proceeded direct
to the republic Of Mexico and visited the
different lead mines all along the -four
Mexican railroads, travelling by rail
and mule Ovor HOO miles, Investigating the
ways OF lead ore smugglers into this coun-
try most thoroughly. l soon found that
not only was the government deprived of
an Immense revenue, over $1,000 OOO las.
year, but that the mines in this country
were still greater losers. On my return /
made my reports to the Hon, Senator VIM.
Nj. Stewart, chairman of the senate com.
mittee on mines and mining and therein
exposed the tremendous frauds of the
smelters In Texas, Arizona, Colorado, lis.
souri and New Jersey. This report has
been submitted to the secretary of the
frA md In f,pp
THEsMKLrERs
/ am informed have all been notified OF
this meeting on the 10Th OF this mon tn, but
the miners fear have not received any
notice. Another circumstance of disad.
vantage to the miners Is that all the SEN
ators and rep representatives. from the silver
states have left for their respective homes
and that the delegates of Dakota, Idaho,
Montana and Utah, are also absent from
this city, and most likely will not be here
on the 18th inst. taking this into consid-
GRAFTON shall only be too happy to rep.
resent the interests of the miners at the
treasury department on that day, and all
letters and kilograms addressed to me In
care OF the senate committee on mines and
mining will meet with prompt attention.
Efforts in behalf OF silver for several years
past must be guaranty OF my ability to
represent the interests Of the miners most
thoroughly.
To understand fully the Importance OF
this meeting and the Interests the smelters
have at stake, 1 shall only give the official
returns collected by me for the past year
ot 1883.
Imports of lead ores at El Paso. Texas,
during the year 1888, 6S 2l2 tons, on which
$50 a ton Is the duty, but not cent was
paid BY the smelters. They imported
these Mexican lead ores under the guise
OF silver ores free OF duty and defrauding
the government OF revenue OF 81 ,O46, 800
Besides they extracted from these ores i'm
1888 al ,647, 29O pounds OF lead which, in
place of paying ceats per pound duty,
undersold the miners OF this country and
almost
RUiNED AN INDUSTRY
In which millions OF dollars are in vested
BY way Of Eagle Pass. Texas ~. l25 tons
Of lead ores were admitted free Of duty,
being invoicsd as silver ores. and the TO-
OO0, 800 rounds Of lead extracted tberefrom
were sold all over much below the cost of
production in this country.
by way OF Laredo, Texas, S4S2 tons of
lead ores were smuggled from Mexico aud
5 629,7S9 pounds OF lead thrown upon the
market on which the duty of cents per
pound WAS not paid either. Is it wonder
with an importation Of 81 277, 379 pounds
OF lead Tree OF duty, the present prices Of
lead range from 81 to 81 cents per pound.
instead OF 8 to 81 cents. which would be
the selling rate II the duty OF 2 cents per
pound had been exacted from these SNUG
glers?
We must organize and lose no time; we
have now chance to be heard, and II we
neglect the same we shall rue the day we
have allowed to pass awav unnoticed, AL
ways at the disposa al OF the miners, l shall
40 my duty TO urge the enforcement OF the
present tariff law OF $50 per ton on lead
ores, vet hope that our friends will either
send delegates or empower me to represent
them at the treasury department ON the
10th inst. IVAN g. MICBELs.