The Washington herald., 1910-05-15

|
will soon organize a separate bureau OF
mines
Legislation authorizing such a step has
passed both the Houses OF Congress and
now awaits only the agreement Of the
/ House I'm a few Senate amendments or
the reference Of the bill TO a conference
committee. The differences between the
| two Houses do not appear TO be serious
and 1t is quite likely the House may
accede 10 the additions made 20 the bill
/ in the Senate. Anyhow the legislative
work for the proposition has reached a
point where it does not seem likely to
I fail. and the bureau Of mines Will un-
doubtedly be enc OF the good things
enumerated as accomplished at the pres
ent session Of Congress.
The step thus taken has been urged
upon the legislative body for a good
while, and Legislative agents" OF one
sort or another have been hammering
away at It all winter Previously there
| had been bills for THIS purpose which
went through one house OF the other,
but not until this year has there been so
much vigor In pressing them TO a pas
sage.
Purposes of the Bureau.
The bill as 1t passed the Senate is
| probably in about the form that It viii
retain. There have been some changes
from the House draft OF the measure. but
none OF them is revolutionary. and sub
! stantially all Of them are In the direction
Of better legislation. There IS every rea-
son to think that the House will readily
assent to these minor Innovations upon
its measure.
The purpose of the new bureau is ito
make diligent investigation Of the meth
DDS OF mining. especially I'm relation 10
the safety OF miners. and the appliances
best adapted 20 prevent accidents the
possible Improvement OF conditions under
which mining operations are carried on,
/ the treatment Of ores and other mineral
substances, the use Of explosives and
! electricity. the prevention Of accidents.
and other inquiries and technologlc in
| designations pertinent TO said industries,
and from time % time make such public
reports Of the work, Investigations and
! information obtained as the secretary Of
said department may direct, with the
recommendations OF such bureau" From
this brief outline fl viii be seen that the
work OF the bureau is 20 be largely in
| vestigative and that IL is to have no
actual power over mining except in the
territories where 81 may be given GER
tain duties to perform in overseeing the
enforcement OF existing laws or In ad-
vising as to what additional legislation
is needed. The bureau may play a part
Of some Importance in connection with
Alaskan legislation.
Work Already Done.
Much OF this work IS now being done.
as matter Of fact. by the Geological
Survey through what is called its tech
nologic branch" That branch Of the sur
vey has been making tests inqulring
into the use Of safety appliances. in
structing mine operators in the use OF
rescue apparatus, etc. II is intended TO
transfer all this work 20 the new Bureau
Of Mines, thus leaving the Geological
Survey more nearly what It's name i'm
plies and, Of course. 20 expand Il n good
deal by means Of the new organization
which is 10 be created.
! One Of the chief objections that have
been made 10 the proposed bureau IS
that there IS not much Of a field 10 be
occupied beyond that already filed by
the work Of the technologic branch Of
the survey. Beyond that, II has been
argued, the work that could be done by
such bureau belongs 70 the States and
should be left 70 them. This point Of
view has appealed 10 some Of the coolest
headed men in Congress. who have on
that account been disposed TO oppose the
establishment Of the bureau.
| In some aspects the demand for the
bureau seems 10 be little more than the
result Of a desire on the part OF certain
bureau officials TO exalt themselves and
to get larger salaries. as they of course.
viii do in the new organization. BACK
OF this 1t is suggested in certain quarters
are mining interests which will look 10
the new bureau TO do work that under
| ordinary circumstances they would do
for themselves. but which may now he
taken over by the Bureau Of Mines at
government expense-such as the max
| ing Of tests and the like
|