Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1907-12-09
BUREAU OF MINES
Great Industries Should Have RecOg.
milton.

n16on.
The recommendations of President
Roosevelt in his message to Congress
In favor OF the creation of a Bureau
OF Mines under the control and direc-
ton Of the Secretary of the Interior,
will meet with hearty response
throughout all this western country,
and very likely will be favorably re-
ceived throughout the country at
large, as 1t crtainly ought to be.
Those who oppose it will be the windy
sharpers, and the complacent, self
sufficient absorbers of money In New
York City who do not care anything
about American industry, except as
they can exploit 1t to their own adj
vantage A Bureau of Mines properly
conducted would give the American
people great and trustworthy view
of the whole mining situation at all
times, and would have surveys. rec
ords, and geographical Investigations
ON file that would prove valuable to
the public at all times.
The Bureau of Mines would natur-
ally and speedily grow far beyond the
| limits outlined by President Roose-
welt in his message. His idea is that
this bureau should include statistics,
make Investigations in all matters
pertaining to mines, and particularly
to the accidents and dangers of the
| industry" That surely would be one
important function Of the bureau, but
far and away beyond this 1t should
have knowledge at hand with regard
to mine deposits of the country and
details of all operated mines. II
should have special experts investi-
gate mineral deposits, proving their
extent and quality, and indicating
by the scientific explorations and sur
veys of mineral deposits, including
metals of all kinds, carbonaceous de-
posits, hydrocarbons, oils, the situa-
ton of mineral bearing strata, and
everything now mined of value or
that could be mined of value TO the
people at large or to the country.
And we should expect to see this bu-
reau grow into a Department with
Secretary at the head of 1t, precisely
as the Department Of Agriculture
grew from a small beginning of a d.
vision in the Interior Department,
then Bureau. and finally separate
Department, with a Secretary at the
head a member OF the Presidential
Cabinet.
The limited function outlined for
bureau by the president would GER
tainly be useful, but naturally there
would grow from 1t a wonderful in
crease of opportunities and useful
ness. The geological survey of the
country would naturally be found un-
der the control of this Department
of Mines when it is created, and that
is a matter of the very highest i'm
portance to the whole country. The
work of the geological experts ia es-
pecially valuable in the mining in
dustry; and thorough survey
of the whole country would be of i'm
mense benefit to all. The idea will
no doubt develop from the Bureau OF
Mines into the Department of Mines
far more rapidly than any other Blu
reau has so developed in the history
of the country; because, when the
Bureau OF Mines is opened 1t will be |
so thronged with business. with the |
addition of matter that is so appro-
pirate to the work of such Bureau. !
that 1t will speedily be found that IT |
is the mere beginning Of great work |
to be done. But the fact that II is
beginning is the main point, and so /
we welcome the Presidents sugges-
tion and are sure that IL will be sup |
ported Loyalty throughout the mining
regions of the country, and should
be by everybody. And there is no
reason why II should not take actual
form at the present session of Con- (!
gress.-Salt Lake Tribune.