Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-10-01
TIE FREE LEAD QUESTION.
Editor Of the New Mexican.

The ruling OF the treasury department
that silver lead ores, more valuable for
silver than the lead, may beimported free
of duty, has not yet been changed, and
still there has been an immense falling
of in the importation Of these ores from
Mexico, and the border smelling com
panes are raising heaven and earth to
secure the absolutely free import OF such
ores. The rumored intention to reverse
| that ruling and instructions to collectors
of customs to stop snug ling has had this
effect. BY misrepresentation, undervalua-
| ton and false classification very large
percentage of these ores, imported i'll the
last two years from Mexico Tree OF duty
on the lead did not come under the rul-
ing referred to, hut were virtually SNUG
gled.
Let US illustrate: Suppose that the Gus
toms laws permitted the import free OF
duty OF COW, and that the calf by her
side was also admitted free. But the i'm
porter brought in with the COW big, fat,
Swear old beef steer, unquestionaby her
slf. Was not this smuggling?
The silyer-lead ore imports were exactly
similar and the government wisely took
measures to ascertain the size OF that call
The result is apparent in the greatly re-
duCed imports.
1t is claimed that these ores are neces-
sity as fux in the reduction OF the dry
ores of the mines of New Mexico, and that
our local silver-lead mines can not supply
the required fux.
How is this known? viii the Kelley
mine, those at Organ, Cooks Peak, Tres
| Hermanos and Hatchita be worked for
/ the lower grade ores or new mines be
opened and developed while the product
OF peon labor at so cents to IS, cents per
day can be imported by the smelling
companies free OF duty? On the other
hand the outlook for the future OF such
imports has already caused the resump-
| ton of work upon some OF these mines,
and the prospective sale and develop
ment OF others. And a reversal of the
treasury ruling will result i'll the opening
of scores of mines producing such ores,
bringing prosperity to the territory. The
smelling companies display illimitable
gall in threatening to increase their
charges for the treatment of dry ores,
when for the past two years with prac.
tiCally free lead ores their charges foI
such treatment have been little short Of
robbery; and, Notwithstanding the great
difference in freight rates, ores have been
shipped to Pueblo, Denver, Omaha, st.
Louis and even Pittsburg, and more
satisfactory returns received.
BY the way, statement under oath
of the per centage of dry ores from the
American mines reduced by our local smell
tiers and their charges for the treatment
thereof for the past two years would be
interesting at this time in determining the
necessity for such coveted quantities O.
fuxing ores. The producers of dry ores are
urged to rally to the support of the loca
smelling companies in their demand foI
free lead ores to save themselves from the
monopoly of the Colorado smelters.
A smelter located directly upon the
border, operated by Mexican brass-tag
contract labor at from 90 cents to $l.2j
per day, might pay the required duty
of 80 per ton on 80 per cent lead ores
SIP on 40 per cent and SIS on so per cen
ores, and with reasonable profits com
pete with the Colorado smelters operated
by American labor at fair wages, hun
dreds Of miles away, if it be true that sui
ticient tiuxing ores can not be obtained
} from our local mines, which is by n,
means acknowledged.
The whole issue is one of smelter profit
and wages. Could the ores OF the Kelley
Cooks Peak, Organ and other silver-leaC
camps be mined by labor at from so to Il
} cents day, the wall of the smelling PEG
pie for free lead would be hushed and still
These gentlemen are handling two
edged sword. Ii it is right and just tina
these fiuxing ores be admitted free of duty
in order that cheaper rates of treatmen
may be given in the reduction of dry ores
it is evidently equally right and just tba
the white lead trust, the cartridge factorie!
ard the shot towers Of the east shall i'm
port free from Spain, which can supply
the demand in this country at such price!
as will leave the lead product of the smelt
ers upon their dumps as valueless as thei
Stag, the pig lead required to furnish the
people cheaper paints, cheaper cartridges
and cheaper shot. Should this be pro
posed, the loudest howlers for protection
would be these same smelling companies
who are now shedding oceans of tears owe
the prospective loss of free lead ores.
That the Democratic papers of tie ter
ritory should champion the cause of tn,
smelters was to be expected. Free leaC
ore means, in so far as it goes, free trade
their cardinal principle. And yet it i.
an unhappy bird which befouls its owl
nest, even to be consistent. And while
their editorial columns are burdened by
pleas for free imports of lead ores, thei
local columns note with satisfaction thu
increased activity in surrounding mining
camps, caused by the prospective suspen
sion Of such imports.
The Las Vegas Optic says that there i
no party politics in this question AM
favors free lead ores. A casual acquaint
ance with the columns of the Optic 70
several years has caused me to observ,
: that it occupies the political ground from
Sucking dove" Mugwumpery to belliger
ent bourbon Democracy during all thu
time, except in the heat of a political cam
paign, when it becomes enthusiasticall,
Republican. This has always been in
explicable to me except upon the theor.
that it pays.
If there is no party politics in thi
there is none in the principle of protec
) ton. More plausible arguments wer
advanced last year in favor of the FREE
importation Of wool than have yet ap
peared in behalf Of free lead ores. If tn
silver-lead mines of southern New Mexic,
are to remain idle and undeveloped t,