The Lamar register., 1906-10-24
SHELTER TALK
SHELTER TRUST ATTACKED AND
DEFENDED.
BEFORE MINING CONGRESS
Mr.. De Ia versns Declares smeIter
Prices and Regulations Arbitrary
and Unjust-Able Defense by Mr..
Guiterman Of the American smeIt.
inc and Refining Company.


euiterman Of the American smeIt.
ing and Refining Company,
Denver-Thursday mornings ses-
sion of the American Mining Congress
was taken up with an engrossing de-
bate on the mutual relations and
grievances of the smelling trust and
the ore producer. Senator E. NJ. De
La Vergne of Colorado Springs read
paper setting forth the ore producers
side of the question in quiet, direct
manner that had nothing in it of re-
sentiment, hut was merely state
ment OF the facts as the speaker
viewed them. based principally on his
observations in the Cripple Creek dis
tricts. He declared the order issued
by the American Smelling and Rein
ing Company on May II, 1906, regard
ing the procedure TO be adopted in
sa mpling and settling ores shipped
to that company, to be arbitrary and
ur Just" and issued without due regard
to the interests of the shipper.
This question OF determining ore
values is very peculiar one, he CON
tinued moment later. There is moth
ing like it in other channels of COM
merce. ! am informed that in the agri-
cultural districts, grain and cotton are
graded under state regulation, but here
is an industry second only to the great
agricultural interests. in which the
values of the commodity are entirely de-
termined by the buyer"
Senator De La Vergne had five rem
edies to suggest for doing away with
the existing conditions. First, state
legislation; second, national legisla-
ton: third encouraging competition;
fourth, by an amicable agreement, and
fifth, by government operation.
The latter suggestion was a distinct
surprise to the congress, but the SEN
ator backed up his suggestion as fol
lows:
IF all shall fall" said he. 81 believe
that the mining industry can exert
sufficient influence upon this govern
ment to induce 1t to do the smelling for
the whole people of the United States.
am opposed to the state or the gov
eminent operating the railroads, or any
public enterprises. am opposed to
department stores on the ground that
they have tendency to stiie and dis
courage private enterprise, and the IN
vestment of capital in small and large
amounts. They all have tendency TO
centralize the business that belongs to
thousands of good citizens in the hands
of few. But after that business that
properly belongs to the public has
been gathered into the hands of one or
two gigantic trusts and all competi'
lion destroyed, ! believe that justice
to the Individual. the public and the
industry demands that the government
shalt rescue 1t from the one or two or
more concerns and operate the bust
ness for the interests of the people
who are engaged in the work of tax
ing what nature has furnished in the
crude form, and converting 1t into
wealth that flows through the thou
sands of channels OF commerce into
the millions of homes OF the rich and
poor alike.
Franklin Guiterman, repro s-ntinG
the American Smelling and Refining
Company, read a paper in reply to Sen
ator De La Vergne's contribution, in
which he explained many OF the cur
rent causes for dissatisfaction, and
gave figures which showed that there
have been higher rates paid per ton
since the amalgamation OF the smelt'
ers than had Deen paid before. In open
ing his argument Mr.. Guiterman
frankly told the gathering that he rep
resented the so called smelter trust IN
Colorado, and that whatever methods
had been adopted ne had been directly
responsible for. He then went on TO
show the members In what ways they
were installing the motives OF the
smelter trust. and finished his talk by
saying:
..The American Smelling & Refining
hot G fntoralt
identical with those Of the ore pro
ducer. We recognize that we are in
separably connected with the rise and
fall of this industry. and we have al
WAYS given the producer the benefit
of all new inventions for ore treat
ment. We are at all times ready to
listen to and remedy all reasonable
complaints made by the ore producers.
and 1t is our sincere hope that all dit
ferences in the future will be adjusted
to the mutual benefit of both parties
concerned"
Among the more striking of the
statements made by Mr.. Guitcrman.
during the reading of his paper. were
the following: 1.-The senator has stated
that in Colorado there is practically
no competition. | wish TO gainsay that
statement of his and 10 declare that
III every Htlu III ''A''''O ~ '''' az
matter whether it be Lake county, or
San Juan, Teller county or Mineral
county, we have competition on all
sides. and that we have at all times
been ready to meet such competition
in a spirit of fairness and equity to
the producer.
with particular reference to the
Cripple Creek district, | desire to say
to you that since the formation of the
so-called trust, when the American
Smelling & Refining Company alb
sorbed the last remaining great
smelter in Colorado, namely the Phila
delphia plant owned by NJ. Guggen-
helms sons. that since that time in
stead of there being an advance in
treatment charges there has been
steady reduction of the same. with the
result that there has been more paid
to the miner than when the individual
smelters were operating.
THE miner today has the privilege
of supervision of the sampling at the
,smelter by his own preventative, as
he had it before, and he has the priv
ilege of making his own assays. He
can resort to the arhitrament OF UNI
pire assays as he did before. There is
nothing that know of that has been