The record-union., 1897-07-30
THE CANADIANS AND THE NEW
MINES


from the Clondyke region confirms the
original stories of the richness of the
new placers, the difficulties of mining
by ordinary processes, the severity of
the winters, the brevity and charm of
the summers, and the evidence of the
very broad extent of the deposits of
gold which have been ground down
from sources of vast richness yet to be
uncovered.
Hardness, temperance, steadiness,
ample preparation in the way of cloth
ing, food, medicines and money appear
TO justify entry, difficult though the
land passage may be, and long and
tedious as the water route certainly is.
That the Canadian authorities have
put on the screws Of the local tariff
upon all dutiable goods brought in, was
TO have been expected. A country with
a protective policy has no reason to
complain of another that CLEANS reve-
nue. in like manner. However, it would
seem that the Canadian schedules are
in many instances prohibitive and out
of all reason, both in amount and char
acter of duty, and in the detailed appi
cation to all manner Of supplies sought
to be taken in.
The mining taxes the Dominion Gov
eminent is said to have laid are ex-
ceedingly heavy, and to Americans who
have seen foreigners work our mines
under as favorable circumstances as do
natives of the soil, these exactions ap-
pear unjust and excessive. But prob
ably there is not much use of COM
planning. Our neighbors on the north
are upon their own soil, they have a
perfect right to administer their af-
fairs as pleases them, and to levy dis
eliminating taxation, which under con-
stitutional forms, such as ours, would
be inhibited. The only restriction upon
the Dominion authorities in the mat
ter is such as may be embraced in
the treaty of amity and commerce be-
tween the two Governments.
1t is probable that the treaty obliga-
tions and guarantees will interpose re-
straint upon the Canadians in their
reported intention to levy a royalty
tax upon placer mines in addition to
the fee for registering and the annual
mining charge. 1t is said that in addi-
ton to these measures the Canadians
propose to reserve every alternate
claim located to the Government. We
do not understand by this that it is
proposed to prevent the alternate
claims being worked, but that the title
in the Government will not be parted
with, though consent may be given TO
work' the ground. 1t was the policy of
the United States to keep the title to
mineral lands in herself though never
refusing a locator the right to work the
claim. until such time as the Govern
ment was prepared to sell.
Nevertheless this Canadian royalty,
extra tax and reservation, is clearly
intended to discourage the coming in
of foreigners and to create for the
Dominion Government a magnificent
source of revenue and a field for their
own people to occupy. If there is any
thing of the spirit of retaliation in the
order to enforce the regulations re-
ferred to, it aggravates the situation.
Assuming that these reports are true,
We may certainly expect a protest TO
be flied with our Government by
Americans with the hope that the
United States Government viii make a
protest against the action of the Do
Will amount 10 no one can at this
time with any close approximation to
accuracy forecast.