, 1890-08-28
SILVER LEAD ORES.
Effect of Free Trade on a
Western Industry.
RECORDS OF The TWO PARTIES
Facts That Concern the Miners of
Washington as Well as
Idaho.

BoisE Cry, Idaho, Aug. 25.--The fol-
lowing article on the slver-lead ques-
ton has been issued by the republican
state central committee:
The silver interests of the West are
paramount TO almost all other interests.
The silver production in the United
States amounted to 90, coo, 900 ounces last
year. II will no doubt be greater this
year. Silver Is the money of tho many
gold Is the money of the few. There are
ut least nine men demanding silver
where one demands gold. In the civil
ized world there are not TO exceed l2o,-
900, 600 that prefer gold. while over 1,0O0
OC0, ,00) prefer silver.
The effect of the triumph of the demo-
cratic measure OF free lead will prove
most disastrous to the silver interests of
the country. That the democratic party
Is in favor of free lead does not admit OF
question. In 1883, the democratic party
enthusiastically indorsed the ILLS tariff
bill, which was regarded both In England
and in this country asa free trade bill.
IL approached the ideal of the demo-
cratic party as near as the public sen,i-
ment OF the party would admit. Mr..
Mills himself said that he would make
trade absolutely free. In the Mills bill
there was a clause reducing the duty OH
lead from ~ cents per pound to u of a
cent pcT DOunQ. In W tUl>,
under a ruling of the treasury depart
ment, lead coming into the country in
combination with silver ore, when the
value of silver in such ore was greater
than the value of lead, immense quanti-
ties of silv er-lead ore were shipped into
the country free of duty. The Dubois
amendment provided that combination
of lead ore with silver or gold shall not
exempt such lead ore from paying said
duty. 10
Had this measure prevailed, all the
lead ore combined with silver would be
com PEELED to pay duty. But the demo-
cratic party voted this amendment down
almost solidly--the republican repre-
sentatives voting almost solidly In favor
of it. They cut down the duty on
lead from IN cents a pound to u of a
cent. The result of this legislation was
that many of the mines in the West
closed down. In Idaho, especially,
mines that had been pay ing well had to
be abandoned.
Now 80 per cent. of the silver of this
country comes in CONT mbination with lead
ore. If you strike down the price of
lead ore you reduce the production of
silver in the United States one-half
The low grade silver mines of this
country contain but from six ounces to
$50 a ton in silver; it costs $50 ton to
produce, transport and smelt. IL the
silver is worth but $50 a ton then you
can not work the mines, and hence they
must close down. SO the blow which
the democratic party aimed at the lead
industry of the country strikes down
silver at the same time.
Silver men should understand this :
All interested in silver production, all
friends of silver should therefore vote
solidly in favor of the republican party,
which stood by the silver mines and
miners, against the onslauehts of the
democrats in congress, and send men to
represent them whose party are openly,
avowedly and determinedly the friends
OF silver-lead ore.
No one should be deceived by the as
sertions of individual democrats, here
and there, that they are in touch with
the lead silver sentiment of the West,
They may be, but their party is opposed
to it, and when they become representa-
tives of the democratic party, they will
be compelled to sustain the decree of
that party as determined in party eau
Gus.
And their DEGREES are hostile to lead
silver ore, as the party fnvors free lead.
Voters of Idaho Friends of the
mines and miners! Vote to keep that
party In power which protects your in
dustries! Every sentiment OF loyalty to
Idaho and to Western interests calls
upon you to labor for the success of the
republican party in this, the first state
election of Idaho.