The San Francisco call., 1905-08-19


speeches in favor of the establishment
of Department of Mines and Mining
were made before the Trans Mississippi
Commercial Congress at to-day's meet
ing. That the American Mining Con-
gress is unable TO combat the throttllng
of small producers by the mining trusts
was an admission contained in the an
swer of Judge j. H. Richards, president
OF the American Mining Congress, TO a
question as to whether the Mining Con-
gress had ever taken any action that
would tend TO prevent the big mine
owners from controlling the small pro-
| ducers in the output of copper. Judge
| Richards terse reply was: The board
of directors of the American Mining
| Congress has unanimously reached the
conclusion that the only power on earth
which can control the situation is the
| United States Government"
Persistency of effort 10 secure De-
partment OF Mines and Mining as one
or the branches of the Government was
the method advocated by Edward II.
benjamin, president of the California
Mining Association. Benjamin said that
Notwithstanding the necessity for the
creation or mining department was so
apparent as to make any argument in
/ y
plgeonholed resolution after resolution
recommending Department of Mines.
he Delleved that the only way to secure
such department is to keep on intro
ducing resolutions until every pigeon
hole is filled and hammer on the doors
of Congress until it grants the demand
In order to get rid of the noise.
CHINESE ISSUE DoDGED.
Considerable curiosity exists as to
hG 70 lxa in
the matter of the restriction of Chinese
immigration. Before the speeches of
Minister John Barrett and L. B. Wilcox,
president of the congress, were deliv-
cred yesterday it was believed that
after fight on the floor of the conven-
tion the Oregon and Washington dele
cations would succeed in securing the
Endorsement of the exclusion law. The
resolution which was adopted in COM
mittee to-day straddles the question by
advocating comprehensive immigra-
tion law, framed to remove all unrea-
sonable restriction, but to exclude all
undesirable persons of every nation
1t is expected that when this resolution
comes before the congress tomorrow
the radical elements will oppose it.
While II is not foregone conclusion,
1T is probable that the next congress
will go to Kansas City.
The permanent organization commit
tee. with whom the matter of nominat-
ing officers is left, to-day unanimously
named Ex-Governor Francis of Mis-
souri, for the position OF president. AS
it is the custom of the congress to Sc
lect its president from the State in
which the convention is to be held this
is taken as an indication that the con-
vention will go to Kansas City. Dem
yer is preparing to make hard fight
for, the distinction. however, when the
matter comes before the congress to-
morrow.
Besides Governor Francis for presi-
dent the committee nominated unanim-
ously the following: First vice presi-
deut, Colonel II. d. Loveland of San
Francisco; second vice president, ex-
Governor L. B. Prince of New Mexico:
third vice president, NJ. B. Larrimore of
North Dakota; fourth vice president, B.
A. Fellows of Kansas; secretary, Ar
thur B. Francis of Colorado (incum-
benO; treasurer, III. B. Topping of Mis-
souri,
MINING BUREAU FAVORED.
A protracted meeting of the resolu-
tions committee delayed the opening of
to-day's session of the congress 1t
was expected that the committee would
conclude it's labors after two sessions
yesterday and be able to report after
the session opened to-day, but after
New Mexico, chairman of the day, was
forced to change the order of business.
He announced that the addresses would
begin and that the first speaker would
be j. H Richards of Boise, Idaho, presi-
dent of the American Mining Congress.
Richards, whose subject was The De-
partment of Mines and Mining" argued
for a Federal bureau as essential to the
industry.
Chairman Prince introduced to the
congress Ex-Governor David r. Francis
of Missouri, president of the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition, who took for his
subject the influence of expositions.
Governor Francis said that five years or
effort without the hope of commercial
remuneration had been expended In
perfecting the ST. Louis Fair, and even
If the amounts expended had never
been returned the benefits derived from
the exposition fully compensated every
expenditure. Francis also advocated
the Improvement of the Mississippi
River.
Governor Francis was followed by T.
w. Morgan Draper of San Francisco.
Draper like Richards, advocated the es
tablishment of Department of Mines
and Mining.
The last speaker on this subject was
Edward ii. Benjamin Of San francisco,
president of the California Miners Asso-
cldtlOn.
SPEECH OF BENJAMIN.
BENJAMIN paved the way for his sub
ject by quoting the statement of Henry
Clay, made one hundred years ago, that
three subjects claimed the attention of
the National Legislature. These three
were agricultural, commerce and manu-
factures.
he speaker recounted the circum
stances that led up to the establishment
To1 fAli
istence at present. In 1S49, when the De-
partment of the Interior was established,
the mining industry, said the speaker,
was comparatively an unimportant one,
practically unknown to the lawmakers at
Washington, and though mining was one
of the Industries placed under the control
of that department, the Interior Depart
ment was not Intended to be of any spe-
cial benefit to that industry.
During the past half-century. the speak
er went on, the mining industry has
grown beyond the comprehension of man.