The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-02-11
DON'T WANT OUR MONEY
Canadians 10 Enact Laws Prohibiting
Americans Mining on Their Soil.
WILL DEVELOP WASHINGTON MINES
How n ia pper Young Fellow Re-
fused 40 be "neld lp''-Senator
Crows BiII For the Removal Of
the state Capital from olympia.

| Post InteUigencer: 1t will be matter
of some interest to those citizens Of
Washington who have made or who pro-
pose to make investments in British
Columbia mining property to know that
there is a movement on foot to shut out
American miners from Canadian terri
tory. The movement will crystalze in a
bill to be presented to parliament in the
coming session, revising the mining laws
80 as to prevent any person acquiring
title to mineral claim in British Col
UNI bia unless he is a British subject.
The measure is partially protective and
partially retaliatory in it's nature. The
retsliatory sentiment comes from the fact
that the United States mining laws limit
the entry of claims TO citizens OF the
United States and those who have an
nounced their intention to become such.
The protective sentiment is based upon
the fact that American prospectors and
secured possession of many of the best
paying properties in the newly opened
British Columbia districts.
OF course the British Columbians who
are behind this measure cannot ignore
the fact that the recent heavy mining
development in British Columbia is due
in great part, if not almost wholly. to
these American prospectors and capital
lists, but they think that the mines have
been sufficiently exploited, and that they
can afford to kick down the ladder upon
which they climbed.
On the retaliatory theory there is really
nothing to cay. We deny Canadians
mining privileges on this side of the line,
and, if they 80 desire, they certainly can
deny Americans like privileges in their
country, without our being in position
to protest.
1t would not be an altogether bad
thing for the state OF Washington, if the
proposed legislation were enacted. There
are as many and as good undeveloped
mining propositions on the American
side of the line as there are on the
other. The very mineral belt, the devel.
opment Of which has caused the mining
boom in the Trail Creek country is well
defined on the Washington side of the
line, although not as we'll developed. The
British Columbia boom has taken many
men and much money from this state
into that region. Men and money
might have been employed with as much
profit in Washington state mines, and
this country would thus have received
benefits which have been flowing to our
neighbors.
There is in mining investments a sim
gular fascination about distance. Many
man has expended small fortune and
undergone great hardships to make his
way far into the interior of Alaska, where
he may deem himself especially fortunate
il he finds as good mining proposition
as many which are lying open for locs
ton right here ia Washington, and with
in few days easy journey from trans.
portation lines.
There is this much certain, with the
claims already located, there is abund
ance of employment for every dollar of
Washington capital which is looking for
such investments right here in this state,
and the prospects for making money are
equally as good, if not better, than those
offayed in Ryitial, Columhia
The proposed Canadian legislation will
excite no resentment among those who
have the welfare of Washington at heart
There is quite certain to be a general
movement of capital towards mining IN
vestments. II our northern neighbors
are so short sighted as to repel that CAPT
tai because it is American, there will be
that much better opportunity for Wash
ington to receive 1t for investment in our
home mining propositions.