The San Francisco call., 1904-12-08
BeICher Points Way
to Gain Big
Advantages.
Lawson Recon-
mends Geological
Map for State.

A matter OF general concern 10 the
niaers OF tle United States was
brought Yesterday before the conven-
tson OF the California Miners Associa-
tion by means OF a paper prepared by
Z. A. Belcher. in which the mineral
land laws were discussed.
a Federal commission, reported
Mr.. Beicher, has in charge the re-
vision Of the statutes OF the United
States that provide for the sale of
public lands. 1t has already prepared
its report upon the pre-emption and
homestead laws and is now ready to
take up The statutes relating TO the
public mineral lands. The commission
viii welcome any aio. / have thought
that the attention OF the California
Miners Association ought TO be drawn
10 the matter. 20 that il may take sucn
action az il may deem proper"
Il Nj. EclcheT had already taken pains
10 advise Clifford PinchOt, secretary
OF the Commission on Public Lands,
of his views and had been thanked by
Professor biECh0t. who expressed the
view that by such action Belcher had
made ''an exceedingly valuable addi-
1ion 10 the data which the Commission
IN Public Lands is collecting"
MI laE-Illt-- AIOLe 70 lle t-DDN
OF California miners that one Of the
suggestions he offered was new, and
If carried into effect il will sub
stantially accomplish the segregation
Of the mineral lands so far as may be
done without the aid OF a geological
commission in the field. 1t will do
away with the spoliation of impatient
el lands covered by mining locations.
IT VIII accomplish a great part of the
good intended 10 be accomplished by
the mineral lands BILL toward which
there was such active hostility that ii
could not be enacted into a statute"
Nj. Belcher proposes to do away with
much confusing procedure now re-
quired in filing claims by revising GER
tain laws ana creating new ones. These
laws should also be framed with a view
10 doing away with the perplexing 10
cal rules and regulations Of miners.
The mineral lands bill was once a
favorite measure Of the California
Miners Association. The delegates
therefore listened with much attention
10 what Mr.. Relcher had TO say. He
proposed a new method of recording
mining locations and said that if the
suggestion could be embodied in legis-
lation il would furnish a greater safe
guard than the miners have had. He
said;
1T viii connect their locations with
the paramount source Of title. the
General Government, hitherto impos
sible under the system of recording in
use. and thus give notice to the Cen
eral Government that the land is
claimed as mineral A mining location
so recorded would prevent the selec-
tion or location Of the land under other
laws without the knowledge Of the
miner. II would give the honest miner
what he has not had. 1t would pre-
l.
ers without notice TO him."
SUGGESTS MEASURES.
Suggestions were offered by Mr.
Belcher as follows:
The extraIatersl right should be utterly
reading no one statutory provision has been
80 productive of endless and costly litigation
IS this No mine owner say with as
surance that his title is quieted for all time
At amy stage some new development NAV start
q new suit. 81 any depth his vein may inter
sect another ana be lost 70 him II he chances
10 be the Junior locator; at any point his vein
Is liable 20 develop into a complex assure and
involve h:m in endless controversy over the
doctrine OF underlsp and connecting veins.
2-The rules FOR perfecting a mining location
require radical changes: nevertheless changes
should b advise ily considered so as not 20
handicap too severely the honest miner.
3-The rev Federal law should be compre-
hensiye II SHOULD provide for a record in the
land Office and should provide. negatively. that
other record be required. That so far as
cpIiceTl mines not patented. would 90 away
with the record of the County Recorder and
the record Of the local mining district and
their accompanying expenses and dangerous
uncertainties such provision, Of course, would
not he retroactive IL would apply 20 future
conditions and would not disturb the chain
OF any title already Initiated.
The proposed legislation should also. in ex-
act terms. 90 away with that continuing source
C infinite perpleEity. the local rules and reglI-
lafons OF miners. The tenth census report
contains Csrcnce Kings compilation OF the
local rules and regulations Of miners but IL
Tr~T al r1f HON -f.t
only in tradition and can b proved only
through that dangerous rnedium-psrole A
matter 50 important rule that is 10 af-
feet conduct ought not ID be left to parole
Besides. there is no good reason why there
SHOULD not be uniformity OF procedure The
necessity for uniformity of procedure is daily
booming more and more exigent in ali ar
fairs. particularly those Of q legal nature The
proposed new system. therefore should be a
complete system and il should be exclusive II
. mine is worth working. IL is worth patent
ing