The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-02

Just the legislation absolutely necessary Il
save OR mines, both discovered and undis
covered, and our mineral lands, and il
our present congress had been called upor
to vote upon a bill embodying this legisla.
ton they must have voted for it unless
they had some good reason to give for vot-
ing against it. The attention of a majority
OF the members of the present senate and
mouse OF congress has also been personally
called to this matter, and the
facts laid before them, so that
when they were called upon to vote on this
subject they would be thoroughly informed.
but they have never been permitted to vote
for such a bill as was recommended by the
secretefy OF the interior, or any other bill
bearing upon this subject. But they have
had an opportunity to vote upon a so-calIed
forfeiture bill, which was passed, and of
which Thomas f. Cakes, the president of
the Northern Pacific company, says: 1.-THE
forfeiture of the lands between Wallula
junction and Portland is of no disadvan-
tage to this company. as it never expected
to acquire them. On the contrary, it will
inure to its benefit. 4 y 4 This bill
takes out of the Jurisdiction of congress
46,sOO.OOO acres of Northern Pacific lands
and absolutely secures them to the COM
pany." And this bill was introduced and
passed by the present congress without one
word of protest. as far as l nave heard,
from any Of our members. Il was evident
ly the intention of the Pacific railroads
which worked for the passage of the bill to
secure by it unquestioned title to all our
mineral andsc claimed by them.
The question was sneerinRly asked by one
Of our COW county members of the legisla-
ture. what the mineral lard associations
Of Montana had done? Full reports Of
their labors have been published in the pa
pers throughout Montana. But l will an
swer him. This work, for one thing, has
prevented the patents from issuing to more
than two million acres of our best gold,
silver n copper bearing mineral lands,
which had been selected by the company. in
and roEnd the best mining camps Of Mon
tana. and which had been certified to it for
patents by the register and receiver of the
United States land Office. On this land were
more than 1900 mining properties which
wOuld have been taken from their riGhtful
owners and become the properties Of this
company, il these patents had been issued.
These mines which would have been taken,
are worth moro to-day than all the
cattle interests of Montana and employ
many times the number of men, and pay
out to labor many times the amount of
money that is paid out in all the stock in
tererests in the state and in Eve years
hence will be worth ten times as much. OBJ
lection to this bill was urged because this
effort to save our mines and mineral lands
was going to cost the state a few thousand
dollars. but il q diseased steer was headed
for this state the same members, l think,
would not hesitate to ask the state to spend
several times the amount provided by this
bill. if it was necessary, to head it off. and
it would not be opposed by The mining in
terests of the state either.
As to the state lobbyist" there is not one
word in the bill which defines the duties OF
tho state mineral land commissioner that
can be 30 ~misconstrued IA to mean the ap-
pointment of a state lobbyist" unless it
is in the closing paragraph. which defines
his duties and says. ''and in every way use
his most earnest efforts to protect the min
eral lands of Montana and to secure such
congressional action as will save all these
mineral lands and the mines contained
therein from becoming the property Of any
railroad corporation II that is the work
of n state lobbyist" then the members OF
the present legislature of Montana will find.
l believe. before they get through with this
land work. that this il Just such an
officer as the prospectors, miners and mine
owners of Montana demand, and tina he
shall not be handicapped by being a tail to
some other kite or in any other way.
The preservation of our mineral lands il
h matter of vital impOrtance TO every citi-
zen of Montana and will tho Legislators
who represent the people of Montana, and
whose sworn duty 1t il to protect her in
~terests. let this heritage of untold millions
belonging to them DO taken from them
without mt least n reasonable effort being
mads to prevent IL? If $50 the people Of
will know whore tho responsible
ity rests. THOMAS q. MERRILL.
Rimini Fab. %