The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-05
We SURELY NEED
A MINING BUREAU
Most Important Industry of Ma
tiOn Deserves More Than
1t Is Getting.
BUREAU FIRST AND
DEPARTMENT NEXT
United States Ranks First in
Metal Output of the
World.

The United states is blessed with vast
mineral deposits which makes IL possible
Tor II to rank first among the nations o;
the world in the production of metallic
and non metallic products. For years this
supremacy has been maintained and 50
it Will continue for years and years t.
come, with very little likelihood that IL
will ever lose the distinction. The United
States spends but little for foreign min
eral products and its exports OF minerals
and metals make all other countries
World.
Had we to purchase abroad. copper for
instance. or coal. or iron. untold millions
would be taken from the wealth we now
hold The founda tion OF all wealth is me
ta!lic. the yellow gold the basis with sill
yer in second place. These with copper
ending stream Iron, lead. coal and other
important products add yearly to our
wealth. over two billion dollars year
now representing the contribution of the
mineral Industry to the United States.
This does not include the many hundred
millions secured through the manufactured
erals and metals. The work consequent
on the extraction of this fabulous sum
gives employment TO hundreds of thou
sands al good wages.
Despite the fact that the United States
In large measure owes its continued
prosperity 10 its mines. the mineral Indus
try is without representation In our gov
ernment: For fifteen years mining men
have agitatcd a Bureau or 4 Department
OF Mines, The needs Of the mining indus
try have been portrayed in every con-
ceivablc way; II has been urged upon the
government that the expenditure OF a
modest sum OF money in the development;
Of one OF the nations basic industries was
q matter OF wise economy.
In that time the value of the nation S
annual mineral output climbed from four
hundred million TO more tnan two billion
dollars. During the last quarter century.
TO be exact, $2l. 79o, ,293. III has been taken
from its mines. The wealth of the coup-
try. its commerce and industries, has
grown even more rapidly. Yet this great
development Of the mineral industries has
been at a tremendous cost. 1t has resulted
In colossal waste of natural resources:
and the lives Of tens OF thousands OF
Americas workmen have been sacrificed
The mining industry has been left 10 de-
velop itself; with little government assist
ance and fostering care. insufficient sell
aided In regulating the almost unre,
stricted operations which have nourished
and increased accidents.
The government is dcVoting a whole de-
partment to agriculture. with appropria
tions of twelve millions annually; whole
department TO commerce and labor, with
big appropriations, bureau OF animal IN
dustry, n bureau OF forestry. of corpora
tions. manufactures. fisheries, immigra
ton, and numerous other bureaus Min
ing has nothing. absolutely nothing. eN-
geological survey. which as 1t is. one OF
the most useful tools OF the government.
The subject of adequate recognition OF
the mining industry is now being more
generally discussed in mining publications.
before mining and metallurgcal societies,
in bulletins sent out by the American Min
ing Congress, which has been q constant
factor In securing this recognition, and in
other ways.
There is no question but that depart
ment or at least a bureau OF mines,
should be established Some few may OPP
pose 1t. on the ground that IT might lead
10 n conflict between various departments,
and that too close restriction might be
placed on the industry.
The Mining World is OF the opinion tina [
a thorough reorganization Of all depart
ments in any way connected with the min
eral industry should he made, and that
all should be placed under one head; with
bureaus covering the various branches OF
our natural resources,