Arizona republican., 1898-06-25
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.

The ownership of the mineral re-
 sources of any country has a most inn
 portant bearing on the industrial de-
 velopment of this most beneficial
 source of national wealth. In coun-
 tries where the minerals are held by
 the government for the use of people
 desiring to work them, when operated
 under liberal laws, we find the great
 est amount of mineral development
 possible. The history of the mineral
 development of European countries is
 proof of the fact that in course of time the private ownership of minerals tends to monopoly, or to a worse con dition of inaction and, neglect. For these reasons the governments of both Germany and France had to depart
 from the system of private ownership
 and assume state control of the miner
 al operations, 30 as to receive the most benefit therefrom to the country at
 large, for private ownership tended to retard the general welltesng of the in dustry. In the legislatures of these countries, at the time of tine proposed change to goveFnment ownership,
 which necessitated the confiscation of
 all the minerals of the country under
 private land to the care of the state:
 serious predictions were made of the troubles which would result from such
 a revolutionary measure as that pro- posed But these evil events of revolt. Ilot ana civil war, with serious loss to the then private owners, all failed to malerlal1ze, for the government grant. ca l1e leases to the owners who Mere operating, and those who were pre- venting the working of other denosits or economic importance, which they claimed the right to do, under their, pa per title to the minerals, were, forced 10 go to work, or to let the industrious ana Venturesome miner do SD. and peace, Industry and prosperity yeiened where heretofore there was inaction and want of enterprise
 The new system of eoyer1 ,r,on+ oon- trol proved ot be the best t, +ha in terests of both capital and dnh on ,n.. as private ownership wac a,.; tuas Of inactivity and idlenes h;.s ;o the worst form of monono D; '. aH prives the willing and h ,J..n;o, . uo of the right to earn a living ius VI try of mining. oS tue inous- er.I .a,ro.@ Id ws of the fed has been the chief eau .e of ~ rssst production of the vast ;s.a1 ri~ha as or the west, but it has nnI+, h,,-, a bo1f measure of protection Yo +ba sn+arasts tba ,,;..1' ioi iS .Lge proportion of .JIu,.,1 ~ o VI tue country have been +ho te ~ pess ihuo PTivate control, in the form of railwa aren4s .nd n.+ ents to the surfa. ,s of os-;o,,,t,,-a, rights, when all u "a ,S;noroIs o,,,-,,. ta
 :. IeSerVe d for the miner.
 rnor+ r.s go our own govern +ho pasoou q Id 2 to the effect that in go1o. ~ T Or civil trouble the .nd = ude sGhe right to sep in .o,,,t, ea aCe tn g coal mines of the ,d o, n.t e.oo .I, .The owner be prevent -t ha, rn emg to work the mines o;r;n no. u. n necessary during past .n+ 1, s..iA' $, nor during the pres sh . Hdt this act in force, but o1 aont. necessity for government ;-neS. kf the minerals at special n ti,,o ~ what is good measure DraI1-' war or socialtrouble, is on+-n,,a5 Bd when private interests " nrare .fDy an evil, do-nothing pol re f-or, At the prospectors and min riva+o earning their living The )r1ty Eoo,,,<- a,. tL-s1 -, -s ;r Jr death of the original own F the itthe end results in the leasing D II iralinerals to others, which would u,ne Se condition under government mn ssship, so that no hardship can be ac eshould each state of the Union < 6me the owner of all the minerals
 tain the state.-Mining and Metal
 Kical Journal.