The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-10-19
MINING MEN AND THEIR INTERESTS.

in fighting for the mining interests of the West, and
still to them the people look for leadership in such
contests For that the convention of the California
Mining Association in session in this city will have
influence reaching beyond the boundaries of the State What
is done here will have large effect in determining what shall
be done elsewhere.
1t is no ordinary programme of work that has been
marked for the convention The interests Of miners have
been affected by legislation in many ways, and much
will have be done TO revise that legislation that the
mining industry may be promoted by rather than hndered
instances is the at present The two issues
of most importance of this character the complete rehabi
taon of hydraulic mining and the of measure by
Congress segregang mineral lands from other lands covered
by railroad grants
AS means of advancing the accomplishment of all that
is needed promote the welfare of the mining industry the
convention will renew the have been made bring
about the creation of department of mines and mining
by the General Government 1t is in the highest degree
desirable that the movement the creation of such depart
should be pushed forward with vgor The industry
worthy of having representative in the Cabinet Almost
every State the Union has sort OF mining interest
be benefited BY the proposed national supervision and there
fore, for1by presented the movement ought to be well
supported in Congress.
While the work before the convention is complex and
difficult there is much the situation strengthen the hopes
of the men who seek 10 accomplish il The time popous
forward movements of all kinds All industries revv
ng and in mining industry the revival has been remark
able. The outlook for the immediate future sufficiently
bright encourage the hopes OF all and give them renewed
ardor the the legislative reforms and protection
their industry requires,
So far California IS specially concerned in the work Of
the convention the chief will be in the taken
to arrange basis Of agreement between the people of the val
eys and the mow1es in the mountains the subject of
hydraulic mining. Fortunately there every to believe
such agreement be reached 1t is we'll understood
that the sens washed down by the rivers does not
solely from the mines, but largely from the tng of the SOIL
IS also well settled that the greater portion of the evil
be checked BY the construction of impoundng dams The
governments OF State and of the nation have begun the
work of guarding the rivers against the debris that threatens
them and be doubted that the work goes the
results will show themselves and beneficial with
succeeding years.
1t of mountains to-day it the past
that there millions in them We have hardly done
than scratch the surface of richest odes Improved meth
DDS of mining will enable take fortunes of quartz
that few ago abandoned refractory to be
worked. Science and mechanical skill helping the miner
solve the difficult problems of his industry and
lawmakers will grant the aid legislation give it is fairly
certain that what the miners hope to-day will the eaza-
ton of tom