The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-28
THE MINING CONGRESS.

At this time, when every ones
thoughts are turned to war, it is almost
impossible to get people to give atten-
ton to any other matter. After the
volunteers have all been mustered into
the government service, and they have
gone into camp, either in or out of the
state, preparatory to moving to the
front. people will begin to think of
other matters, and give heed to the
ordinary affairs of life.
One of the things of Importance that
will occupy the attention of the people
of this city and state this summer is
the mining congress. 1t is gratifying
to note that the papers of the mining
states are giving the project much en-
enlargement. The Denver Republican
says it promises to be well attended,
and there is hardly a doubt that it
will be an interesting and profitable
convention of men connected with the
mining industry. 1t says 'the subjects
that most urgently demand investiga-
.tiOn were more or less clearly deter
mined by the Denver meeting, and
since then mining men have had time
have been discussed in the newspapers,
and one or two of them have been I'M
der the immediate consideration of
committees appointed for that purpose.
On this account the Salt Lake con-
gress should be in far better condition
to discuss these topics than the meet
ing in Denver was.
hoI +I,a
ton which will be considered is the
proposed recodifcation of the mining
laws in order to avoid some features of
the existing law which experience has
shown to be Objectionable. A commit
tee appointed by the Denver meeting
considered this subject to some extent
last year, but no definite conclusion was
reached. 1t has been disclosed. how
ever, that bill TO make radical changes
in the present mining law would meet
with violent opposition from Senator
Stewart of Nevada. Senator Stewart
had q, good deal to do with framing the
present law, and he looks upon it with
something like the affection of a par
ent for a child. But since the force Of
argument is clearly in favor of making
some of the changes to which he would
object, the prospect of his opposition
should not prevent an effort to induce
congress to revise the law.
Another matter to be considered is
the proposition to try to secure the or
ganization of a new department of the
government to have special Jurisdiction
over matters pertaining to mining This
idea has been forcibly presented by
some California mining men, and it
doubtless will be received with favor
in practically all states where mining is
an important industry. 1t should be
observed that precious metal mining is
not the only kind which the proposed
department would have to consider
Coal and iron mining and the produce
ton of building stone and oil would
come within the Jurisdiction of the de-
partment. In fact, it would seem that
, precious metal mining would play the
smaller role.
The mention of these two subjects is
sufficient to show that the approach
ing congress or convention will have
some important work TO transact It
SilO0ld III eaN " Iodll LANE representative
mining men from all parts of the
country, and especially from the gold
producing states. Gold mining in the
far west has attained to so much
/ greater Importance than it was credited
with a few years ago, that it should
receive special attention in a mining
congress. For this reason alone. if for
no other. Colorado should be well rep
resented at Salt Lake.
The congress will be a most impor-
tant meeting, and the papers and dis
cussions it will evoke cannot but have
| a great influence on the leading indus
try of the inter-mountain region. 1t
will bring the great question of mining
in all its branches into prominence it
has not had. Those having it in charge
are doing effective work that is certain
to insure its success.