The San Francisco call., 1897-01-24

- He legislation which the officers and
FIX committees OF the Miners Associa-
cSE2S ton are now seeking at Sacramento
and at Washington is the thing that is
just now enlisting the immediate and
active interest OF the men at the front of
mining affairs. Never before has the
securing of such extensive and important
mining legislation been attempted. and the
industry is vitally concerned with the at
tempt. Seldom has so strong and intelli-
gent an effort been made to secure laws in
the interest of anything and, fortunately
for the miners. seldom has campaign for
important legislation IN the interest of
any class met with so little opposition.
The present session of the Legislature is
notable for the fact that it is the first
one for a generation in which the
bitterness of the old debris and
anti-dehris fight has not figured. 1t is
like the first National campaign which
came along and left out the bloody shirt
in recognition OF the fact that the war was
over. AT Sacramento the miners aud the
valley people are generously and sensibly
joining hands with disposition to unite
and do something for the common well
fare. Thus, so far, the miners have en-
countered no opposition st Sacramento,
and with Governor Budd heartily in favor
of most of their measures there is a
promise that the miners will get what
they ask.
The most important thing which the
miners seek is the enactment OF what may
be termed a State mining code containing
laws to promote the convenience and
protection alike of prospectors, mine
workers and mlne-owners. As California
stands alone among the mining States in
having never enacted such badly needed
CODE and as the proposition is universally
approved by the miners and affects no.
body else, the bill will likely pass about
as approved by the executive committee of
the Miners Association. No opposition
has appeared to the request for the repeal
of certain stray obnoxious statutes.
The second matter of Importance is
the reappropriation of the unused $3.50, 900
appropriated four years ago on condition
that the United States expend like sum.
The Government has begun the expendi-
ture of this amount but doubt about the
technical availa bility of the State appro-
priation and necessity for broadening lis
purposes to conform to those OF the Con-
gressional appropriation make new bill
necessary. As the money lies in the
treasury the appropriation involves no
new burden on the State.
AS the miners are ready to support the
allied measure to expend $500, 900 in the
deepening of the Sacram ento, there is a
promise that when the Legislature ad.
journs there will be $3.50, 900 avail
able for expenditure on the Sac
ramento and its tributaries in way
that will add millions to the value and
production of both the mineral and agri-
cultural lands of the Sacramento Valley.
The other matter of importance in
which the miners are interested is that of
liberal appropriation for the support of
the State Mining Bureau. There is some
serious discussion about this, especially
because Governor Budd has recomm ended
that the bureau be abolished and its work
turned over to the State University. The
miners are generally ready to vigorously
champion the Mining Bureau. and the
friends of the university, who are seeking