El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-02-10

Would government bureau of mines
be desirable for the welfare and pro-
gress of the mining industry? Some
of our best mining engineers think
not In the Engineering and Mining
Journal of January %, 1910. cores
pendent very ably opposes the estab-
lishment of such a bureau. The city
Of Ell Paso is, or at least should be,
essentially interested; ii is pretty gen.
orally admitted that the city's present
growth and future prosperity is and
will be due. primarily. to the mining
industry in the southwest.
The article referred 10 is good read
ing, and would prove interesting as
well as instructive to anyone in the
least interested in the matter.
The correspondent goes on to say:
The craze which has been raging
violently now for the last five or six
years to establish government bureaus
for every conceivable thing, seems al
last about to fasten itself permanently
upon the mining engineering profess
sion. The provisions of the bill now
before congress in regard to the bureau
Of mines are familiar. There is to be
a commissioner at $4,000 per annum; the
bureau is to foster, promote, and de-
velop the mining industries of the
United States; to investigate diligently
the methods of mining, safety of
miners, the treatment of ores
and other mineral substances
and other technologic Investigations
and inquiries pertinent sto said indus
tries, and from time 10 time make
such reports of the work investiga-
tions and information obtained as the
secretary of said department may di-
rect with the recommendation of said
bureau If this isn't invading the field
Of an honorable and self-sustaining pro-
fession with the worst species of gov
eminent paternalism, I would like to
know what It is. Every single pur-
pose named above is properly the sub
ject for private and individual effort
and is no more to be made the basis
for a government bureau than would
be the Inauguration of government bu-
reaus for medicine, dentistry, law or
any other profession. Certainly medi-
cine, dentistry, etc, concern every one |
of US some time or other; they are de- |
sirable and useful; then why not let a |
generous government establish suitable /
bureaus where we may get the bene-
fits of government-pafd professional |
advice?"
The correspondent then Jwells upon
the recent coal mine disasters; he also I,
asks why efficiencies are lower in all |
government agencies than in CONNER
cial enterprises doing much the same
work. Continuing he says
las contrasted with the coal mining
of our country, which has al
ways been hedged about by more laws,
regulations, inspectors and inspection,
etc, than any other branch of the min
ing industry, let US examine the prac-
tice in our metal mines. In the min
ing and reduction of copper, silver, gold
and lead ores. which has hitherto been
reasonably free from government in
tervention and interference, we have
the highest efficiencies and
our practice is abreast of or leads the
world. This is because private capital,
initiative and brains have been free to
work out their own salvation What
better refutation to the insinua ting
appeal of the bureaucrat for the press
ing need of government aid and inter-
vention can there be than the main
tenance Of a practically fixed price for
our common metals during a period of
20 years or more in spite of an I'M
precedented consumption and without
the discovery Of any new bonanza de-
poSits? 1t may be said, on the whole |
that the increased demand has been
met Dy an improvement in mining and !
in known producing dis
riots. In other words, when 1t is put
Up to the American mining engineer. to |
solve a complex mining and metallur-
sical question, he has not failed: and
hat too, without any aid from a gov
bureau The steady pursuit of
this policy has resulted in making the
practice in our metal mines and re-
1uction plants the standard of the ,
world. and the American engineer the
eader of his profession.
The establishment of a mining. bu- ;
eau means not the advancement of |
he mining Industry, but its slow stran-
sulation- Let the mining industry. par
the metaliferous end of II.
'emain free from government bureau
'racy; let our young mining engineers ]
'eceive thorough training in the well
Known principles that are at the foun-