Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-07-07
DIRECTOR or MINT TALKS
No More Silver Dollars Will Be
Coined

| Ah'ei fANNNi a ihags MI iNOLtiir wa
in Portland Friday between trains 0
his way to Alaska. the guest of his oil
friend, Il. L. Stevens, Of the Fir
National Bank
"Ho, there will be no more ne,
silver dollar pieces turned out of til
Governments money plant unless b.,
some chance l6-to-1 Congress shoul
be elected, for the supply of silye
bullion purchased under the Sherman
act is exhausted, "
From July IL, 1890, wien III,
Sherman law went into effect, unit
it was repealed in 1898, the Govern
ment bouhgt 1856, 600 900 ounces o.
silver. This has gradually beef
worked up into dollars until the pres
ent time, when such coinage hai
ceased, in all probability, never tC
be resumed Mr.. Roberts continued
"Our records show remarkable
Increase in the gold production Of tie
world during the past decade. Foi
the year 1890, the output OF the
worlds gold mines amounted to $l20
900. 600 in 1893 it was $l2J, 600, 600,
III 1903 between 1926, 600, 600 and 1890,
OO0 900. our figures are not complete,
and for 1904 it will, in all likelihood,
be $3.50 900, 900 The annual gold out
put Of the world has nearly trebled in
10 years. That's why there is no
silver question
Most people think the mints are
busy coming gold. They are mis-
taken. The bulk of the work we do
is in the making of copper cent pieces
and nickels. The profits derived from
the coinage Of these two coins hast
year amounted TO almost 81, 600, 600,
which paid all the operating OK
penses. We buy ponud Of copper
ior 10 cents and make ~ cent pieces
out Of It, Nickel costs 10 cents a
pound, and pound makes over -
worth Of nickels. so you sec what
nice profit there is in the business.
Formerly very few pennies were
in circulation on the Pacific Coast
or In the Rocky Mountain country,
but now they are used everyw here,
and the demand IL increasn.
Don't get the impression, how.
ayer, that we are going out of the
gold-coin business For the fiscal
year, ending today, our coinage Of
gold will reach $500, OOO, 600, the larg.
est in the history of the country, and
the largest gold mintage ever turned
out by any country in the world in
one year. -
What are the prospects for
branch mint or an assay Office being
established in Portlandr" Mr.. Rob
erts was asked, He hositnted
moment and then said
1.-THE Department is disposed to op-
pose the establishment of new Offices
On the theory that there Hre enough
ilready, and the proposition OF open.
ing one in Portland has met with no .
Several efforts have
been made to secure Offices at salt /
Lake and various other places, and in .
fact the movement to secure branch !.
mint ut Tacoma is Of recent history.
As u matter Of fact we can now han.
lie all the output of the mines with
lut the slightest trouble. Oregon's
gold mines are not in the vicinity Of
Portland. II Is but little farther
from the Southern Oregon mines to
San Francisco than to Portland, and
tho Eastern Oregon districts are
nearer TO Boise Mr.. Tongue worked
to secure an assay Office for
Portland, aud Mr. Moody was very
lcti,o in favor Of ono at Bakor City,
but the need does not seem 10 exist
md the Department offers no On.
'ouragomont.
How about tho claim that you DO
lot credit Oregon with her iull pro.
lucton Of gold?"
II have heard That statement mndc.
,ut as matter OF fact we nave com
llaints Of that kind from almost
very gold-producing state in the
Jnlon. We fase our figures ON the
cturns from smelters, from the mints
nd assay offices, from mauufactur.
ng jewelers. and from oyory other
ource which might enlightcn MS ON
he amount Of gold produced. II our
tatemcnts are not correct, what be-. =
omos of the bulliony Certainly no
NO is buying and hiding It, People
o not bury IL in the ground. I'm
iclined to think the claims made hy =,
regon aud every other state which ;
reduces gold are prompted hy that g
cry human desire 10 boom thrir
'spectivo districts. You can't al.
ays rely ON the statements made by ,
10 people Of the mining sections as I
the quantity OF the output We n
ct all tho figures obtainablc from '
iiicial sources AMI compile them. If e
RECON or Colorado is producing moro J
lan she Is credited with, we are
nablc to find out what becomes Of y
lo excess.
" What are your yicWs regarding the
.Mtion OF u Department of Mines
'd Mining in tho National Cahi. u
'tt' asked tho interviewer of th. "
.roctor and ogain Mr. Robert, ,rok ,,
'cisiyoly .
81 am opposed 90 &c. Iu.iieyo .h. W
ming Interests of the country can
It all tho governmental aid thcy
'cd through channel, alruiy cstah.
shed and ! do not think ANYTHING
ouli ho gained bv sct,ug ina .
'tcinl Department.. ~
No Pity Shown