The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-03
RETURN OF SECRETARY RALsToN.
He Tells Of His Visit and Also Talks of
Candidates.


He Tells of His Visit and Also Talks Of
Candidates.
Secretary Ralston of the Miners Asso-
citation is home again from his trip East
and will at once make preparations for the
coming miners convention on the 14th
inst.
He went East to attend the big conclave
of the Knights Templar in Boston, and
after that went to Washington to see the
Secretary of the Interior on the mineral
land appeals. He has personally protested
a number of selections made by the rail-
road companies.
President J. H. Neff of the association
was in Washington at the same time, and
Secretary Roke Smith being then in Geor-
gia the Assistant Secretary of the Interior
referred Messrs. Neff and Ralston to Judge
Hall, Assistant United States Attorney
General. Abiding to this visit Mr.. Raj
ston said yesterday afternoon:
We desired to know whether the protests OF
the association would receive recognition at
the hands OF the Attorney-GenerGl Judge
Hall told us they certainly would, and further
more that no patents would be issued while
the protests were on file.
Atthe General Land Office acting Commits
sioner Emory +. Best was anxious to know
what was our principal claim-what ruling
we wanted. We replied that an agricultural
claimant to land should be required TO show
that the land was Fl for agricultural purposes,
and that, since the miner under the system in
vogue was forced to prove the mineral charac-
ter OF the land claimed by him-had to prove
that 1T contained mineral in paying quanti-
ties-the agricultural claimant should also be
made to show that the land he claimed could
be farmed at profit. Mr. Best thought that
was Just contention and ventured the
opinion that he did not see why rule should
not work both ways.
After explaining to him the drift gravel
mining of the State and the exploiting of the
same, l argued that all lava-cap ridges in
known gravel mineral regions should be con-
sidered as prima facie mineral land and not
agricultural in any sense of the word Mr..
Best's idea was that this was reasonable enough
and he thought we ought TO have ruling to
that effect.
Some of the prospective candidates for
officers of the association were referred to.
Mr.. Ralston said he would like to have
some man who was an active miner like
Mr.. Neff chosen as president and he
named b. G. Lotus of Tuolumne County
as good man. Mr.. LOTUS is mem Der OF
the mineral lands committee. AS to the
secretaryship Mr.. Ralston said:
have had all I wanted of it, and Mr.. Neff is
satisfied too 1 understood that Richard l.
Thomas of Nevada County is candidate for
the secretaryship, but considering the position
he took in the last Legislature regarding the
bankruptcy bill, which the merchants of this
City were anxious TO have passed, doubt very
from the San Francisco delegation. The Miners
Association received great deal of financial
support from the merchants of this City and l
certainly think that in choosing their officers
the miners should select men who would re-
ceive Endorsement from the mercantile ele-
ment.
tell you whom think the merchants would
indorse. 1 think if Julian Sonntag could be
induced to accept the position he would be
unanimously elected.
William Irelan Jr. is also a candidate
for secretary. Among those who would
like to be president are Robert McMurray
of this City. Alfred Tredgidgo of Nevada
County and n. T. Powers OF Placer County.
John McMurray of Trinity County has
been frequently mentioned as good man,
though he is not seeking the place very
hard
President Grayson of the San Francisco
association will call a meeting to choose
delegates within few days. Secretary
Yale was preparing the call yesterday.
Vice-President Benjamin of the Alameda
County northumberland H. BeDja-
min-will call his association together next
week. Alameda County, he says, will send
twenty-six or twenty-seven delegates.