The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-19

anu tnab WHoH tHeV JOIN VIII ueR6pa-
per in irresponsible viliications of this
kind they become simply irresponsible
vilifers.
The railroads are to have the opportu-
nifty i'll court which was denied them by
Messrs LaRue and Stanton. due OBJ
ssrvance OF common sense and decency
on their part will perhaps sdmonish
them to remain quiet and abide the result
OF the issue which their ill-ad vised action
has precipitated on the country.
THE STATE MINERS CONVENTION.
The State Miners Convention recently
sssmbled in San Francisco was COM
posed of representatives of the various
mining sections of the State in irregular
numbers. Some of the mining counties
elected five delegates; others twenty-four
delegates; others forty delegates. The
attendance was small. but in the main
was composed OF high minded, honora-
BILE and intelligent people. Such gather
ings cannot fail 10 exert an influence
upon the industry the interests OF which
they are called to conserve.
The rank and file of the convention en-
tertained moderate and conservative
views. Occasionally speaker sought to
interject his scrimony Into the proceed
ings of the convention by sounding an
snti-railroad war cry. but he was never
for mis- pains. It 10 notable fact that in
every instance of an offense against good
taste and common sense of this kind the
speaker was from San Francisco. Not
single individual from any mining county
of the State had one word to say of tho
absorption OF mineral lands by the rail-
road company. The assertion that there
has been any such absorption is base
less falsehood, and the belief that such
absorption has taken place exists no.
where outside of the city of San Fran
cisco. 1t may be doubted whether it is
believed there. but as ignorance may be
the parent of opinion as we'll as of intslli-
gence, there may be ? few people resid-
ing in the metropolis who believe that
there is some conflict between the rail-
on the subject Of mineral lands.
The convention practically repudiated
the recent action of the Mineral Lands
Committee by diyesting it of all original
power In the frat place, it did not pro-
vide 1t with the means to carry on the
examination and classification of min eral
/ lands by the commission which the Min
eral Lands Committee OF last year at
tempted to negotiate. In the next place,
I the convention directed that no action of
/ any subcommittee of the association
should be dsemed the action of the asso-
citation itself, unless submitted to and
approved by the Executive Committee.
! Thus the Mineral Lands Committee of
/ the present year will possess no power to
/ speak in the name OF the association ex-
/
/ There are many public reasons for re-
GREETING the failure to form a commission
! for the classification of mineral lands as
originally proposed by the representa-
tives of the railroad company. Simpli-
! fed, that proposition meant to appoint
experts representing the mining interests
on the one behalf and railroad interests
on the other; to produce expert testi-
mony before the tribunals established by
the Secretary of the Interior for the de-
/ termination OF the questions at issue.
/ The contention OF the Mineral Lands
/ Committee for the policy of determining
these questions outside of the courts es-
tablished by tho Secretary of the Interior
was shortsighted and foolish. 1t grow out
| of the distrust these people felt for these
| tribunals The Chairman of last years
committee voiced this distrust clearly
when he declared before the Committee
! on Resolutions that the entire ground of
complaint concerning the mineral lands
| within the railroad belt was rsfsrsble to