Evening star., 1902-01-10
A DEPARTMENT OF MINES
WOODS URGES IT'S
ESTABLISHMENT.
Points Out the Immensity of the In
dustry and the Number of In
terests Involved.

Representative s. D. Wood of California
who has introduced a bill to establish the
Department of Mines and Mining, is an au-
thority on practical mining and mining law
His bill is the result of wide, varied and
successful experience in mining and mining
law practice. When asked by Star re-
porter why such a department as he pro-
poses is necessary he replied:
why is a mining department necessary! !!
Because mining has tremendous certainties
The value of our mineral products in 1SSo
was S369, ,319, 600 In 1890 these products
were valued at S619, 9,512, 173 In 1889 the
value was $976, 500, 946. The figures for last
year are not available but am in a posi-
ton to say they will show our national min
eral output has passed the billion-dollar
mark.
LAS far as material import is concerned
these figures show the mining industry mas
risen to the dignity of a department OF the
federal government. Isn't this bill entitled
to distinguished consideration? If not for
its money value, If that view be too sord1d,
then for other reasons At hrst the aver.
age man associates mining department
with precious metals. He forgets, II he
ever knew, that the bitumnous coal output
in 1900 was valued at S167 353O4; the an
thracite, $SS 142, 1870; petroleum, $64,6O3,904;
cement, S14 All ,05S; brick clay, S14, $50 coo;
stone, s44, 1866, and that the specified
of the geological survey number siXty-tWo.
He forgets that with the facts already
determined mining men and the mining au-
thorities know full well mining in the
United States territory is still, in sense,
in it's infancy. He forgets that this billion
dollar infant is big enough to be taken out
of its swaddling clothes
Interests Of the Miners.
"Thus far have talked values. The hui
man phase of the issue, the sentimental
phase, if you will. still .more nearly con-
Germs the people. With the development of
the mining industry, the number of work
ing miners has increased proportionately,
until today there are hundreds and hum
dreds of thousands of men working in mines
and at mining plants. The interests or
these men must be Safeguarded, not in an
indirect way, not through department in
which mining will figure an incident
along with the lighthouse service, marine hos
pital service, railroad commission, fish COM
mission, bureau of foreign commerce. and
similar branches of the public service. l
know that great oaks from little acorns
grow, and what is now the Agricultural
Department was once minor section of the
patent office. But this knowledge does not
tell me that the creation of the mining de-
partment should be delayed. Aside from
its material and scientific value, the mining
department is directly necessary to the well
fare of working miners New and complex
problems are arising in the mining indus
try every day which should indeed, must
be- judicially considered by men equipped
for that purpose. The secretary of mines
and mining must be man with the guam
tity and quality of brain and the necessary
experience to insure the proper discharge
of his very trying duties; No mere sciolist
can head the Department Of Mines and Min
ing. Every mining man, every mining law
yer, had almost said every working miner,
knows that a man qualified by reason of
long experience for secretary of commerce
would not be fitted for the position of sec
retary of a department Of mines and min
ing. This fact simply emphasizes the ne
cessity of a department for mines and
mining.