The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-16
CHANGE N REGULATIONS.
MINERS MEETING HELD AT DAw-
SON TO MAKE A PROTEST.
Tuesday's Action 81 the Canadian
Cabinefs Yukon Committee Rec
Smmending . Change In the Size
Of Claims, and In the Grouping.

In an Associated Press dispatch from
Ottawa, published yesterday in the Post
Inteiiigencers the statement was made
that the Yukon committee OF the Cana
dian cabinet viii recommend a change in
the size OF the claims and also the group
ing Of tbs alternate claims
l. Is likely that the cabinet has received
report from its gold commissioner In the
kiondiks about the manner in which the
news Of the recent regulations were re-
ceived. The following letter from the
Post-IntelEgencer Alaska News Syndi-
Gates correspondent, received from the
north on the Al-Ki, tells OF a miners
meeting held at Dawson, at which the
regulations were discussed:
DAWSON. N. w. r., Oct. II, Iss7.-Thers
Is a possibility that the Canadian ofticla )
VIII insist upon the enforcement of the
law relative 10 the collection of royal
ties and the reservation OF every al
ternate claim for the government The
officials are reticent and are ayerse to
discussing the subject, and, through
sources emanating from the officials
themselves, / am reliably informed that
the principal officers of the government
are strongly opposed to the contemplated
enforcement OF the law. I asked Mr.
Thomas Fawcett, the gold commissioner,
IL such law had been passed:
1T Is the law Of this territory" he re-
piled
"Wil II be enforcedy'
i am not prepared to say
From your knowledge OF the official
reports forwarded to the government at
Ottawa relative to the practicability of
such legislation on the eve of grand
effort to develop the mineral resources Of
the country are you OF the opinion that
the law Will be enforced next spring.
/ asked.
Il don't think Ii will" he replied after
moment or two in deliberat!on. He posi-
lively declined TO go into details and said
that his official position barred him from
freely discussing the question There
can be no doubt but that MIR. Faweett
realizes that the enforcement of such
legislation would put a stop TO the min
eral development of the territory and
probably close down moro than one half
of the mines in the district.
One Of the oldest miners in the camp,
Henry Hilbert, citizen of Canada,
and pioneer of this portion OF the North
american continent. and who has been
or great assistance TO the government in
compiling maps of the country, is strong
!y opposed to the law. He said:
What inducement is there for a man
TO spend years OF his life in this coun-
try, living on meager supplies and trav-
cling through wild and uninhabitahle
mountainous region looking for gold
when the government will confiscate one
NTH of what you take out of the ground
besides appropriating every alternate
claim? If that law had been enforced
a year ago the immense gold fields OF
this country would never have been dis
covered. Such legislation discriminates
against the development CT the resources
or the country. has a tendency TO dis
courage prospectors and drive Canadian
miners to American territory"
miners meeting convened this after
noon in the public square and appointed
a committee to draft and prepare reso-
lu;ions protesting to the Canadian gov
eminent against the imposition of
royalty tax. A report had reached here
that the law was about to be enforced
and in few hours the miners determined
TO exhibit their d.sapproval. The at
tendance was equally divided between
Canadians and Americans. and they all
seemed to be of one opinion. The chair
man said the object of the call was TO
formulate petition 10 the Canadian
government asserting that the stories
sent out broadcast to the effect that
gold was to be easily gotten was false
and misleading; that there were less
than forty claims that had proven ex-
cessively rich. and that It was the opin-
government had been misled by unrei-
able reports into enforcing a royalty
lax. II was reasoned that most of the
claims were leased on a basis OF one
half and that 20 per cent additional was
necessary 10 pay for siuice boxes cabins
and winters supply of wood and then.
after deducting another ~ per cent.
royalty. there would be left but 10 per
cent. for the owner. Gold Commissioner
Fawcett was present and declined TO
take part or make any statements with
reference To instructions received from
Ottawa, and said that any remarks from
him would be impolitic. However.
when such laws go into effect it will be
time enough for me TO make a state
ment. and not TIL then" he remarked.
Some of the miners advised against the
objects of the meeting and averred that
IL was III advised and that II was time
enough 10 protest when the laws went
into effect. The suggestion was frowned
down and 4 committee of FIVE old min
ers was chosen to embody the object OF
the meeting In form Of resolutions and
was ordered 10 report tomorrow afternoon
nj a meeting which viii be extensively
attended
AZ the conclusion OF the meeting in
tervjewed Gold Commissioner Fawcett
again and he said:
There IS an old provision on the
statute books. enacted by the council 20
the effect that ROYALTIES can he collected
but. Ike certain other laws In some Of
the territories there is a conflict and
Il may be that Ii viii not be enforced.
That Is an intimation only. Thus tar
have not heeaa instructed TO enforce
tho-e provisions"
With the limited information at hand
fran the states II would seem 20 me
'ha. the meeting was hasty snd III ad-
vised. and there are many mine owners
here who regret that the proceedings
took place. They apprehaui that the
government might look az the action as an
intimidation or threat
WILLIAM J. JONES