Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1909-10-16
MAX JUCHANDEl
MAKES Good
SUGGESTION

Max Junghandel, largely identified
with Yerineton promotions, has advo-
Gated for the past year a department of
mines to be conducted similarly to our
agricultural department, and his sug-
gestions and exhaustive papers OH the
subject have attracted the attention of
President Taft.
The following can neither be called an
interview nor the substance of his valu-
able paper. 1t is simply an attempt to,
as nearly as possible, quote few of the
ideas suggested by Mr.. Junghandel
while addressing a fair sized audience
i'll the lobby of the Yerington hotel:
Most of the advanced rations have
found it necessary to establish special
department Of the government to take
care of their mineral assets The mineral
resources of the United States are its
most valuable asset, and why should not
the government protect it and aid its
progress by doing more than simply
permitting the surplus derived from its
exploitation take care of it2 The only
assistance for this coming year the Uni
ted States government is lending the
mining industry is an appropriation of
81, 200, GOO for the ;naintainance of the
L. S. geological survey.
The federal government reserves all
y,,i,,arsl Iaud hat ,,a-,,,;,e ,1,a ,.ox;o,,.
States to administer the law, and under
the present system there is endless trou.
bles, conflict and litigation.
'In most States there is no provision
for the inspection of mines, and conse-
quentlv til miner is in constant danger
of losing his life. There is scarcely any
law to prohibit promoters from practic
ing gross deceptions and the investor
has but little recourse
There is something rotten in mining
when statistics show that only one dol
lar is profitably invested out of every
sixteen dollars by the people of
the United States, This brands it worse
than a lottery that is expected to return
at least ten dollars for every sixteen in
vested
The National Conservation congress
shows that the mineral production of the
United States for the year 1907 exceeded
two billion dollars and contributes 65
per cent of the total freight traffic of the
country The waste in the extraction
and treatment of the ores amounted to
more than three hundred million dollars
at comparatively small cost. if the gov
ernment would encourage the study of
metallurgy.
1T is the fundamental duty of the gov
ernment to protect the people, Why
should it not also be the duty of the gov
ernment to extend protection to the ac-
tivities and investments of the people
which go to develop our greatest and
richest industry? The tremendous
growth of the industry and abuses sur
rounding it make government protec-
ton and promotion imperative.
Numerous congressman and sena-
tors, recognizing the need of mining leg
islation, have introduced bills, but so far
none have even passed the house, and ii
is just as we'll, since none are broad
enough and commensurate with the i'm
portance of the mining industry. The
industry is equally as important as agri-
culture and is entitled to be represented
by self-contaiped department of the
United States government, with thor
oughly competent mining authority al
the head.
The Federal government should re-
lieve State governments of adnlinistra-
ton of mineral resources Then all the
people would help to support the indus.
try, because local influences and terri
tory preiudices would b. eliminated II
would naturally develop a more efficient
administration.
'"rl e scope of such a department
should not be confined to economic re
search and inventory, but should be eS