Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-11-30
THE SALT LAKE MINERS CON.
yENTIoN.


delegates to the st. Louis Silver
Convention, stopped over at Salt
Lake to attend the meeting Of
Pacific Coast Miners at that
place ON the Goth instant. In a
private letter TO the BULLETIN,
dated the 22d, he says:
'The ore producers convention
adjourned last night after two days
hard work. 1t has, in my opinion,
accomplished much in showing to
the public the great injustice done
our miners by allowing lead 10
come into our country free. | en-
deavored to give the assemblage
my experience in mining both
in Idaho and Mexico, where in
the latter country / paid an
average Of 81 cents per day for
miners and in Idaho $3.50 per day.
The Mexican laborer lives upon
"tortillos," beans and other cheap
food, and our miners would not
stand that kind Of diet il they can
help it, yet if Secretary WINDOWS
policy is carried out they will be
compelled TO submit, and il seemed
now that our learned rulers desired
that they should be placed upon a
level with the Mexican "peon."
When this state of affairs exists in
our beloved America, l hope not
only TO be out of mining but out
of the United States. Should the
ruling Of Secretary Window hold a
large number of our best citizens
must seek other avenues Of employ
msnt, and millions of capital in our
Territories be wiped out. | sim
cerely hope the st. Louis convention
may accomplish something TO
avert this calamity"
Hon Geo. w. Cassidy of Nevada
was made chairman of the conven-
ton, and taking the chair he said
in substance, after returning thanks
for The honor, that he recognized
that the convention had met for
earnest business, affecting not only
the interests Of the west, but the
wealand welfare of the entire coun-
try. If this silver question were
properly understood by the whole
people of the United States, a great
majority Of them would rally TO the
support Of silver. 1t was Of great
Importance that the groundwork for
effective work be laid in Congress.
Without friendly committees moth
ing could be done. If our repre-
ssntatives in Congress would lay
aside every other consideration and
demand that they must have COM
mittees favorable TO the silver in
terests, there would be some hope
of correcting the evils that had so
long afflicted this country.
An address to the President and
IT, Congress was adopted, from
which we make the following ex-
tracts:
We, citizens of the States of Colo.
RADIO, Montana, Nevada, and Terri
tories Of Idaho, Utah aud Wyoming,
and representing the lead mining
interests of those commemorative,
appeal to the President and Con-
gross to give relief to the great lead
mining industry, against the fatal
competition Of the peon worked
mines in Mexico.
Lead mining is the support and
chief source of prosperity, of the
vast region of the mountain West.
and many large districts draw their
life from it. 1t employees at living
wages about $1,000 of American
miners, and directly and indirectly
affords a livelihood to large part
part of the inter-mountain region.
For fifteen years past it has fur
nished at an ever reducing price 90
per cent of the lead consumed by
This country and coming into COM
petition with no other industry, has
poured yearly into the Golfers of the |
tens Of millions of dollars
worth of the precious metals which
IRE the life blood Of all industries.
To protect this beneficent in
iustry, Congress enacted laws pro-
siding for a duty of one and one
half cents per pound to be levied
md collected on foreign lead ores
imported into this country. This
iuty is not collected, and our mines
paying daily average wages of 90
per man are put in direct compe-
ition with Mexican and otter for
ign mines paying only from 20
'ents 10 vi per day. As a result
many American mines have closed
Town, throwing thousands of men
nut of employment, and others only
york on in hope of speedy relief.
such relief was sought from the
previous administration without
uccess, but after the National cleo
ion of 1888, lead miners relying
lpon the platform Of the successful
'arty in that election, with renewed
lope again sought relief, and ex-
'ected that the protection given by
aw to an industry which could
'roduce yearly $41 ,595,OO0 worth
( precious and useful metals,
'ould be justly enforced.
But we have again been deceived.