Bisbee daily review., 1904-06-22
Mining Laws In Mexico
 Better Than Those of U. 5
Brief comparative study of the Mexican and American mining Institutions with view of showing the greater beray of the Former together with other advantages offered to the public by The Mexican mining legislation.

Nature has indeed been a prime fac for in the mineral wealth of both countries; but while the industrial and material growth of the United States and her surplus of capital have largely contributed to the develop ment of her mining industry. Mexico. on the other hand. lacking that pow erful assistance, has enacted wise and liberal laws which. in fact, after the labor of nature, have been the only source from which the mining indus try of Mexico has derived its wonder full development in the last few years. inasmuch as the liberality of her stat utes have established an ever flowing and perpetual current Of foreign cap- ital eager to be invested in Mexican mining enterprises.
 MT. Curtis H. Lindley. of the San Francisco bar, dealing on the mining laws of Mexico, in his praiseworthy book, 'Lindley on Mines" makes the following comment: The existing code of that republic is a substantial departure from the old order of things and furnishes the best example of lib- eral and progressive system of min ing laws of any which has hereto fore been adopted in any country"
 A historical account of the preced- ents of the institutions would be out of place in this brief study: therefore we will only make a subject of the existing legislations of both countries
 First-The mining code of Mexico is a federal law; consequently. it is uniform all over the country. In the United States. save for a few pro- visions emanating from the general land office. governing the ocation, manner of recording and amount of work necessary to hold possession of a mining claim, the miners of each mining district may make their own regulations. Now then, a contested mining claim located just between two mining districts or on the boundary line of the two states governed by dif- ferent statutes. according to the Amer ican system, would simply originate a hot bed of litigation. This instance, among others which we do not men, ton for lack of space. cannot but show in a true light one advantageous feat ure in favor of the Mexican law.
 Second-It is only the citizens or those that have declared their inten- ton to become such that may locate mining claims in the United States: while all the inhabitants of the Mexi- can territory, without distinction of nationality, are entitled to denounce and acquire a mining property in Mex ico. This disparity between the two laws hardly needs any comment. It speaks by itself very highly in pro of the Dberality of the Mexican min ing code. And that unrestrictive provision freely allowing the invest ment of foreign capital fin Mexican mines has unquestionabiy been an important factor in the development of the mining industry of my country.
 Third-Both the American and the Mexican mining laws are based on the principle that mineral lands be- long in domain to the state; conse- ouently, the locators of a mining claim will have simply asserted pos sessory rights of such claims. which rights will only be held as long as the locator conforms with the regula- tions of the law.
 Such regulations are the assess ment work in the United States (t100 a year for each claim, and the pay