The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1890-07-26
Thc New A.phait mn.

most luIdIucIs iAthouIeS ever CouCoNtsu
in that body in the interest Of monopoly.
Should il become law, which is hardly
probable, 1t would shut out such men
us Charles 4. ilill, Eugene Taylor and
others who originally discovered and
located the lower White river asphaltnm
beds. These men and others first
made known 10 the world the yastness
Of the asphalt deposits on lower White
and now the Gilsonite or Barbour com
panies steps In and proposes to despoil
them OF the results OF several years OF
labor.
According TO the provisions Of the
new bill the land is b be put up at pub
lie sale and sold TO the highest bidder,
and the original locators and men WHO
have spent their money freely in de
veloplns the deposits are TO he debarred
from purchasing them at any price.
Who ever heard OF such villianous
scheme We venture 10 say that mo-
where In the history Of corrup. le.is!a'
ton does another SUCH Infamous parallel
case occur.
In this connection the following COM
munlca,ion from eS-Consressman Bel
ford 10 Major Wise OF Denver. who was
one Of the original locaiois, will prove
OF interest 10 many Of our readers;
To azior William Wise, Denver. Coiorados'
DEAR SiI-it has been The policy Of
the general government for many Year,
To stimulate the exploration OF It's min
erai lands, and this has been done by
granting bounty 10 the discoyeTer Of
mineral us In the act 0i lSajG, and by en-
largins the extent Of the property lie
might locate rs In the act Of ls12. You
Will observe that these acts apply 10 the
public domain alone AMI cannot be cN-
tended 10 Indian reservations. l.Ocl-
lions made ON the latter confer no rights
elthe. ngalns; the government, III. In
dian or any citizen, and remain subject
10 the plrnsry power of Congress. Not
outstanding the fact that YOU made
your location Of the asphalt beds In lsss
and expended considerable. money on
the same YOU acquired no rights, for the
reason that the specific land WAS not
open TO exploration or location. The
new bill 10 which YOU have called my
attention, and which has been prepared
by Secretary Noble. Commissioner Nor
gan and Senator Dawes. aud which con.
iains the provision that no one who
has settled upon this land. or who may
bc on II when 1t Is declared open to set
Element, shall have the right 10 bid on I,
Wien offered for sale. IL u Wide depart
urc from the course heretofore pursued
In dispusinc IL mineral land, secured
by the government from Indian tribes.
No such in,imation can bc found In the
Ne; opening up III. Indian reservations
In this or amy other State. Il, was not
sought 10 IL applied 10 the san Juan
region when II was thrown open TO set
Element. nor Ia the u. reservation.
Gold and silver are quite ms valuable
deposits ~ asphalt. md yet no,w!;h-
s,andln: the fac; that their discovery |
has bccn In most cases In tho frs; In. |
stance made on Indian lands. no SccTc-
taty of the Interior. Commissioned Of
Indian Affairs or member OF ti,e Senate
has deemed II Just. wise OF prudcn, 10
exclude the di.coycr-r, Of the precious
metal, from bidding for the lands Con.
tanning them, and assigning ~ q reason
for ~ dom. the fac; that they did dis.
cover them.
This is inuoducin. penal feature
into our legislation abhorrrn, 10 the
sense u every man animated hy the
principles ii common honesty. and not
bcfos;-i by the cncliani,ucni that
gives charm 10 the distant abpriginc.
While NIL other acts Tx a maximum and
minimum price 10 I've paid for mineral
lands. this proposed hill only eliminates
the maximum Limitation. but declares
that M one who has heretofore made n
location on the mineral land therein |
treated Of. shall participate In the sale.
II treats him rs Nh ou;casi. II sets him |
apaT; from nj! other citizens, and says
10 him for 50 much as you have
brought this valuable deposit TO the
knowledge Of the public. you shall no;
compete with anyone who desires 10
purchase"
cannot believe that Congress will
tolerate the introduction Of this new
feature into our legislation. Had this
been the law before the Ute reservation
was thrown open. fear That the mar
vicious mineral wealth of that and the
san Juan country would now bc uudis-
closed. Your only remedy Is to call the
attention Of or representatives, in Con-
gcss to this matter. Certainly they
will never sanction this innovation.
To nv mind 1t is clear that this vii
is framed in the interest OF large cor.
pora,ions who not only seek 10 deprive
YOU Of all standing in the matter. but to
secure monopoly for themselves.
1 would advise you To promptly write
our representatives in Congress and di-
rect their special attention to tie pccu-
liar features Of this bill.
| Yours truly.
JAMES B. BELroHD.
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