Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-15

British Discrimination In the IkUctc-
nay Mining Region.


The large number of Americans who have
recently gone to the Kootenay mining regions
in British Columbia have suddenly been put
in an unsatisfactory situation by new law OF
the legislature of that province. The purpose
of it is to restrict the mining rights to which
they had previously been entitled and to put
them under disabilities which it is expected
may prompt them to renounce their American
citizenship for the sake of acquiring the priv-
leges that belong to British subjects. Under
the law they cannot take up mineral claims
by location so long as they remain Americans.
We learn from Vancouver that thousands of
Americans are adversely affected by the un-
friendly legislation and that few of them
have already taken out papers of allegiance to
England. We are told of the prevalence Of
something like a panic in the mining regions
of the Kootenay range.
The region in question is close to the United
States border and most OF the American
miners and prOspeCtOrs there are from the
states OF Montana and Idaho. They crossed
the line believing their rights were secure
it is by a change of the law that their rights
have been restricted.
The pretext for the unfriendly legislation
was that the American congress had inter
fered with the privileges of Canadians in
the United States. 1t was a false preteXt.
Hundreds of thousands of Canadians live
and labor in the United States, possessed
of every constitutional privilege except that
of voting SO long as they retain their allie
glance to a foreign power. Canadian mari
ners are free to serve upon ships sailing the
lakes, free to engage in all the industries
of this country, free to own and possess prep
erty, and free to operate the mines of gold
silver iron. coal, other minerals. 1t is
thought by many people that some restriction
should be put upon those Canadians living
near the line whose dwellings are on the
British side while their workshops are on
the American side, and who spend in Canada
the money which they earn in the United
States. But We have no law upon the sub
ject.
We do not believe that many, If any, of
the Americans in the Kootenay mining re-
gions will renOunce their citizenship for
tho purpose of acquiring the property rights
OF British subjects. 1t is not the dispCsl-
tion of our countrymen to settle in any other
country where they are liable to suffer from
obnoxious restrictions.
We have acceptable news that the anti
American law enacted by the Legislature OF
British Columbia has met with the dlsap-
proval Of the Canadian and British settlers
in the mining regions. We learn from
Vancouver that mass meetings have been
held in all mining camps to protest against
the enforcement of the law, which, If en-
forced, will lead to the departure of many
Americans and to the withdrawal of much
American capital Consideration and in
dgnatlon." we are told were the first re-
suits Of its enactment"
If an attempt shall be made to execute the
provisions Of this law, to the detriment of
Americans, it will become the duty of the
Parliament of the Dominion to declare the
legislation invalid. Such legislation does not
come within the authority of the British
Columbian Legislative Assembly, which Is
empowered only to regulate the local afalrs
of the province The question at issue is not
one of local or provincial character; it is be-
tween Canada and the United States.