The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-20
CHANGE in MINING LAWS
EARNESTLY ADVOCATED At THE IN
TERNATIONAL CONGRESS.
uoueopnthfsts I'm Session at Washing
ton-Union Pressmen's convention
Gar Builders at Saratoga.

MILWAUKEE,, Wis, June 1e.-The third
convention of the International Mining
Congress opened at the exposition building
this afternoon with several hundred dele
gates representing nearly every mining
section of the country. including Alaska
and Canada, in attendance. In connection
with the convention is one of the most ex-
tensive exhibits of minerals ever shown.
Among the most notable arrivals are b.
+. Montgomery, of Cripple Creek, Col,
president of the congress, Ex-Governor
Bradford L. Prince, of Santa Fe. N NJ,
and Ex-Governor Swineford. of Alaska
The convention was opened with a prayer
by DR.. D.. T. Tenman, after which adj
dresses of welcome were made by Governor
Scofeld and Mayor Rose for the State and
city, Ex-Governor Bradford L. Prince, OK
Santa Fe, making the response. President
Montgomery then delivered his address, in
which he outlined a plan of permanent or
SANITATION and suggested lines of work for
future effort.
He reviewed at length the importance of
the mining interests of the country, and
the advantages to be gained by bringing
together as we'll as cultivating a more init
mate acquaintance between the investor
and the owners of the property to be in
vested in, and arguing strongly that mining
was a legitimate business, entailing no
more risk than any other branch of bust
ness If treated by investors and those de-
veloping mines upon the same principles
upon which banking, merchandising, manu-
featuring, agriculture. ETC., were conducted
The current treatment of investors in
mines, he said, has created a sentiment in
the public MIND that mining was more of
a gamble than a legitimate business. This,
lie claimed, was detrimental to the highest
and best interests of the industry of min
ing i'm general.
He recommended action looking TO the
thorough revision of the federal mining
laws to the end that mining on the govern
ment domain should be controlled exclusive
iy by the laws of Congress. and not left
to the regulation of enactments of statutes
by the several States, thus producing a uni
formity of method of location, size of min
ing claim and annual assessment of work
by which a claim should be perpetuated
until patent should issue. Such legislation,
he said, should be based on the idea of in
ducing development of mineral wealth on
the public domain.
At the conclusion of President Mont
6ohhCAs . dduiCco tic oiN cHt1OH ADJOURNED
until tomorrow.
President Montgomery announced to-day
that the committee on reorganization and
naming of officers would not be appointed
by him till tomorrow. Meantime the state
delegations are meeting and talking of
departments. bureaus and revision of laws.
President Montgomery proposes to make
the organization a corporation, a body
polite, with power TO sue and TO be sued.
with Offices, though probably with no con-
stitution. The membership, he thinks,
should consist Of men and women inter-
ested In mining, however remotely. Mrs.
Atwood. the only woman mine representa-
tive at the convention. advocates that the
organization have an Eastern headquarters
and a Western representation. The head
quarters should be a means OF reference.
where reliable Information could be OBJ
tanned about mining corporations. floating
stock, and IL could be known whether they
were selling shares in real mines or in
sailed mines. This would do away with
much fraudulence in mining.
Colorado Springs is bidding for the next
convention.