Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1908-10-29
Relative to Tariff on Zinc Ore.

Herald and the Galena Herald calls for
the united opposition of every mining
man in this field.
At present we have duty on ore of
one and one-half cents per pound and
similar duty on imported zinc ore would
mean a tariff of $l2 per ton on 400
calamine, now coming in free, and SIS
per ton duty on 6096 blende ore.
1t is not necessary to dilate upon the
point that both lead and zinc ore come
from the same mines and at no time
has the bottom dropped out of the lead
market so completely as it has out of
the zinc ms rket, a fact so palpably
true that mention of the fact is super
fuous.
Why, again it is asked, did not the
tariff-taX on zinc ore in 1906 raise the
price here? Whether or not this tariff
tax was influential in raising the price
here is a matter left to the discretion
of those at interest to determine, but
the published figures from most reliable
sources prove that the price of zinc ore
has increased and as follows 1901
S2421; 1902 $50. 33; 1903 1913 Y; 1904
1876. 80; 19O5-$44 SO; 1906 $43. So Com
pare these prices, if you win, with
previous prices.
1t is true the average prices of 6096
zinc ore was $l.60 per ton less in 1906
than in 1905, but the difference must be
laid to the increased production at
home and the thousands of tons of ore
imported into this country some oil
which has been laid down at our own
doors.
How much greater would have been
the gain had the los, 900 tons of zinc
ore imported from old Mexico been
barred from entry to American ports
and it must not be forgotten, that in
the same period, Canada also contri-
buted several thousand tons of zinc
ores.
Notwithstanding the bad conditions
in general old Mexico unloaded upon our
domain 1870, 900 tons Of zinc ores in 1907
and this year is sending into the United
States another 100, 600 tons of zinc ore
The spelter produced from foreign
ores is the depressing influence on the
metal market today The natural con-
sumption of spelter in the United
States can be met entirely by the
mines of the United States without
Importation. A proper tariff would
correct those abuses.
Think what the increased price of
spelter has to do directly with the man
from whose land the ore is taken or
royalty is based upon the price of ore
and what they are after is good price
for zinc ore. Who is there so stupid
as to think the price of speter is based
upon the zinc contents in the ore. One
thing we do know. and the gentleman
who inspired the article opposed to a
tariff on zinc ore, knows better than
many of US, that the miners of South
western Wisconsin received in 1906 and
1907 the highest daily wages paid in
the history of this country since its
earliest inception. The increased de-
mand for miners was brought about
primarily by high priced zinc ore, and
as president of the Enterprise Mining
Co. at Plattevile, he was compelled to
pay as high as $3.50 per day for ordi-
nary miners, while engineers, machine
men, shift bosses and mine superintend-
ents received the highest wage ever
paid for skilled labor in this field Even
boys in their teens, fresh from the farm
and school, were impressed into service
and Platteville knew such an Industrial
and business boom as she may perhaps
never know again until tariff on zinc
ore as now proposed brings high prices.
If the miners of this country lost dn-
der tariff tax as intimated by the
Congressman-elect, how much more
certain are they to lose without any
protection
1t is not the shelters who are behind
this movement for tariff on zinc ore
because they are not anxious to in
crease the price of ore.
This movement has behind it the
concerted action of the mine owners,
operators and miners of the Joplin
field and their efforts to enlist the sup
port of the fraternity in this district
received its death blow at the hands of
certain gentlemen in the Platteville
camp who are, to say the least. either
blind or criminally Indifferent to the
welfare Of the mining industry in this
field.
This is a million dollar country and
any man that rails against the success
OF legitimate enterprise is breeding
factionalities instead Of fraternity. We
want our smelter people to prosper and
it is our inherent right to demand and
secure for ourselves such conditions as
will insure the greatest measure of
n i