Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-10-23

what ne mas not SOWD. The ore IN
his mines has II value before he has
seen or sought it, and this value is
not his exclusively. II belongs as
well to him who wins the metal from
the ore, Ia him who shapes that metal
to the forms of Use, and to all those
who need Those forms TO use.
And yet, fnrsooth, because our gov
ernment has granted to the miner IA
Titled privilege which, at cost of al
most nothing, gives to him exclusive
control over deposit of ore, he
would ask that the people be COM
pelled to buy this back from him at
his own valuation. He would neg
lect the sole consideration upon which
the grant was made; the understand
ing that he is to mine the ore for the
public benefit AS well AS for his own.
and he would make us believe that he
should be paid beyond the market
value of such property for cOndescen-
ding to receive IL as IA gift.
Here arises another considera ion:
1t is by no means to the best interests
of our country that our mines should
tie exhausted rs rapidly as possible.
This mineral wealth is the harvest of
ayes. and the right in it is for future
generations as well AS for our own.
1t is u trust, our children's legacy,
and we have no right to waste it,
Let us rather take the wealth of other
countries for our use. Our mines
would keep Why should we con
spire for their rapid destruction?
The argument of those who are in
favor of the exclusion of foreign ores,
not only Of lead, but of all other
metals also, is that such exclusion
will necessarily limit the production
and therefore raise the price of the
metal, giving in consequence, u
larger profit 10 our mipe-orners, and
thus enabling them to pay larger
wages to their employees.
This argument might old good if
these foreign ores could not Ne snielted
elsew here. But such is not he case.
and the exclusion of such ores cannot
prevent the smelling of them. aor
the effect of the competition of the
produced metals in the markets OF
the world.
On the contrary, such exclusion
must offer the necessary stimulus for
the erection of smelters at the mines
| III ISAiCo, \dbuud anu p1ltlSll
Columbia; and so must, ultimately,
increase and cheaper the product by
enabling them to treat ores which
would not otherwise pay for shipment
1t is II mistake to suppose that any
considerable time will be required for
this. Furnaces and the necessary
machinery are in stock in the market
and need only to be shipped to where
they are wanted and set to work.
Plants have already been ordered for
some Mexican mines, and under the
superintendent of competent metal
urgists from our own country and
abroad will soon be in successful
operation.
The direct result of this prohibitive
tariff is certain, ultimately, to be:
l. An increase in the worlds
production of lead. and consequent
depreciation of values of lead and
ores.
2. A decrease in the profits of our
smelling end railway companies bv
loss of the trade which formerly was
theirs.
3. a depreciation in value of the
dry" (infusible) and "rebelious'
silver ores, from inability toget suit,l-
BILE easily fusible (''fluxing') ores to
melt with them. Thus compelling a
dependence upon the less efficient
teaching and amalganlating processes
for extraction of silver.
A. A general loss to our country by
"A stopping of the reciprocal trade
which is dependant upon the ore
trade, and the stopping of the impor-
tation of the considerable quantities
of the contained precious metals,
silver and gold.
Under the existing law and rulings
the tariff on lead ores amounts to
more than the whole value of the lead
which may be contained in them, ex.
cept in the very rich sorts: this tariff
being u cents per pound upon the
whole OF the ore-gangue-r rock. iron,
lead, and all eise-thus representing
about the whole value of the crude
lead in an ore containing so per cent
of that metal. Or, on all ore contain
ing IS per cent of lead, cents; so per
cent, 3 cents; 25 per cent 6 cents; l2l
per cent, II cents per pound on the
lead contents.
The absurdity of taxing the ore in
stead of the lead II may contain is
obvious; and the tariff is, in any case,
too high.
The recent rulings forbidding the
mixture of ore products from differ
ent mines, really forbids custom mill
ing for the purpose of concentration
of ores, and therefore leaves all the
low grade ores which are the product
of small mines on the owners hands.
1t being impracticable to keep all
lots separate, except where each mine
can make its own independent ship
ment.
The object and effect f these rul-
iDgs being to prohibit the entry of a
very large proportion of siver-lead
ores, which under former construc-
tons of the law were admitted.
What, let us ask ourselves,is our Mex
lean friend, who has developed his
mine under an implied promise from
our government not to further inter
fere with his ore traffic, and prom
Use from certain of our companies to
A.. IA 4. . ~