The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-29


The decision Of the Canadian cabinet IN
The matter OF exacsing royalties from
Yukon miners Is one OF the moat atroci-
Gus instances OF ''hoid-up" that has been
recorded for many years. Moreover. the
cabinet not only proposes 10 squeeze the
miner by taking one~fifth OF his wash
ings. but II also decides TO grab for It's
own use one-half OF all the placer claims
20 be located in the future. This Is In adds-
ton TO SIS registration fee. a 800 an
nual assessment and Incidentally the
Ievying OF duty on all the American miner
carries into the country IN the way Of
personal effects and supplies for himself
In other words. the Canadian cabinet has
decided to hold for itself over 20 per cent
of all the riches which have been discov-
cred and developed by American pio-
neers-
most selfish that a governing body has
ever determined upon. A fair tax for
the purposes OF administering law and
maintaining order In the new country
might not have bean objected 10. but
such q wholesale confiscation as Is pro-
posed will be very severely commented
upon by liberal minded people who be-
iieye that man struggling against ad-
versity and privations should be given
a fair chance to enjoy the fruits Of his
labor.
For years the wealth OF the Yukon has
As~t, IL
would be today had Ii not been for the
fearless energy OF yentureSome Ameri-
cans who have brayed the dangers CT
those remote regions OF ice, and staked
their all In the belief that In time the
returns would compensate Cor the toll
given and the suffering endured. The
result of all this pioneering under diff
culties, which at last has proved sue
cessful. is the PRONUNCIATION OF regua-
tions which exact an unconscioGabla
tribute from those who are to work the
mines, and. in addition, means the reser-
walton of half OF the country for the
ultimate benefit Of those who are on the
inside and can make favorable deals with
the powers that be for monopolizing what
by the exertions OF private parties is
shown to be valuable
Had the early work on the Yukon been
done by Canadians. had the later pros
pecting and the recent rich discoveries
been made by those people, this high
wayman royalty would never have been
seriously thought OF. 1t is because more
foraicr baya fatIa1 aud
succeeded that the new edict goes forth.
Unable themselves. through iethargy and
iaeTtness. TO prospect, discover and de-
velop in q region so inhospitable. they
suffer others to do 1t unhiudered until
something Is found. and then greedily
swoop down like the robber barons Of old
to gather plumber out of the accumula-
tons OF those who have to struggle for
what they make.
All over the world. save In countries
ruled by autocrats who exact tribute
wherever there Is any on which they can
lay their hands, the miner Is free TO seek
for the precious metals without unrea-
sonabie h,nderances. So II should be in
the Yukon country. and SO II would be,
were IL not for the fact that Canada,
knowing her people have not the energy
TO seek fer the hidden riches. Is unwilling
that others should do II without turning
ever go->f portion of the treasure found.
The whole scheme is villainously selasn
and small. and IN the end will prove
harmful 10 miners. the country and the
public treasury
The Americans are the people who have
developed the Yukon country. and today
they are the parties chiefly interested
there. For this roason the new cabinet
order affects them more than any others
This being the case 1t VIII he well TO urge
that our government look into the matter
thoroughly with view 10 seeing that
foreign miners and investors in this coan-
try are accorded treatment similar 10
that which is 10 be dealt qua TO tia
Americans In tho Northwest territory
4 royalty on copper might pat the Brit
ish owners Of the Anaconda and other
property in q happy frame OF mind. and
. similar eyaction Tor other minerals
might cause the many british investors
In American mines 10 appreciate fully the
Wholesale grasping nature Of tho pro-
posed hoid-up in the Northwest territory.
Royalty regulations. almost prohlbit.ve.
may dctor men from gotsg 70 the Cion-
dyke and foxcs them 10 prospect elss-
where. sat the PRONUNCIATION CT these
regulations should not paes without ar Ia
SsguAut protest from those who see no
Justice in the ,axy and selfish snstchng
deserves; rewards from the hardy. ener-
gsiic ard thrifty.