, 1907-01-30
OF GEOLOGICAL INTEREST.

Hon II. G.. Beeler, state geologist,
has issued a pamphlet of 45 pages
which he demoninates, preliminary
Report" 1t is just such information
relating to the business of his Office
as will interest the members of the
legislature, showing as 1t does the mum
Der of examinations made, the amount
of fees collected. the sums expended
by the geologist, the number OF pamph-
lets issued and an outline OF the work
and needs of the office for the ensuing
two years. In the making of reports
Mr.. Beeler is = very skiilful man, hence
all the publications %emanatlng o his
department are models of neatness, ac-
curacy and good English.
Good results nave been obtained
through the operation Of the publicity
law. Thirty-four companies filed state
ments during 1905 under this law and
forty-eight during 1906. 1t has been
a protection to that extent to the com
panies INT the general public. In this
Ie6ltNls IL ID lh1 VI
the g~eologist that the voluntary law
be changed for a compulsory statute.
OF the change proposed Mr.. Beeler
says:
1T is proposed hat a law be enact
ed providing that in ell stock compa'
MES incorporated to operate In Wyo'
-irr ,nd whose stpclf iS IN ha offered
for sale to the public, shall be requir'
ed to file a copy of their prospectus or
other printed matter relating to the
facts and possessions of the company,
with the regular incorporation papers
now required, and that all foreign cor
porations in filing their acceptance of
the constitution of the state, be reduir-
ed to file also a certified copy of their
prospectus, etc, as above for Wyo-
ming corporations.
This enactment should also provide
that any subsequent prospectus or 9th.
er printed matter issued by the COM
pany to aid in the sale of their stock,
shall be specifically understood to be
included in this filing made under oath
and that the officers of the compay be
liable for any statement contained
therein, the same as If 1t was contain.
ed in the original filing, as above.
"a proper time should be allowed for
all present corporations to comply
with this law and a proper penalty
provided for noncompliance with this
act, as Well rs the usual penalty fol
perjury provided by the laws of Wyo
ming for false statements In this mat
ter, and a proper course of action pro
vided to take up such cases by the
proper officer.
"Such q law will not work any hard
ship upon any legitimate proposition
presented to the public but it will drive
out of the state of Wyoming the faklr
who uses the state solely as a basis OF
speculation and who never expends
even a portion of his proceeds in de,
veloping the resources of the state.
This is perhaps a heroic remedy,
but there seems to be nc other way to
drive IL the fakir who has long fat
tened on Wyoming undisturbed, for
there was no a of reaching him, and
whose methodshave lone more actual
harm and kept back the mineral de
velopment Of the state, than any 9th
er cause or combination of causes"
The work of the geologist as in.
spector of mines has been important
to the state and a comprehensive sum.
mary thereof is offered.
The question of mining upon state
lands is taken up and discussed at
some length. Legislation is recon-
mend to the end that prospectors may
be induced to give more attention to
developing properties upon lands of the
state. With fair treatment, Mr.. Beel-
err is of the opinion that miners will
give more attention to state lands, but
he insists that they should be fully
protected in their rights. Other states
have accomplished much by being fair
with the prospectors.
1t is recommended that a law be en-
acted requiring the various mines ano
reduction works of the state to report
their production and that such stats.
tics be tabulated and published, to the
end that Wyoming may get full credit
for its mineral production.
Mr.. Beeler promises a more complete
report later, but the present document
is one replete with interest to the min.
ing men of Wyoming.
THE STANnARn OH