Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-29
BY JAMES wYNKooP

Conservation in the highest sense
| of the term will be, according to Jo-
seph A. Holmes, director of the United
| States bureau of mines, in an adj
dress before the American Mining con-
gress last night, the chief object of
that newly created agency of the fed
| eral government.
DR.. Holmes, who was from the start
| the miners choice for the position of
| first director OF the only representa-
tive body they ever have had at
| Washington, has shown that he is in
full accord with the requirements of
| the miner and will labor for his good
| in every respect, and most important
| Of all in an endeavor, with the assist
ance of the government and the mine
| operators, to lessen the loss of life
| in the mines and in preservation of
| the natural resources for the best
and most general use of the people.
| DR.. Holmes, however, was particular
| to emphasize that this bureau was
not political proposition, and that
| In so far as political conservation Is
concerned, If such a thing exists, the
bureau of mines would have nothing
| to do with it. What might be con-
sidered a commercial conservation and
| a humane conservation were the kinds
that were discussed by DR.. Holmes.
Referring to the creation of the bu-
reau of mines last spring, DR.. Holmes
/
the fact that the American Mining
congress was responsible for bringing
| the necessary influence to bear at
washington and to it great credit was
| due.
POLICY OF NEW BUREAU
AS to policies of the bureau, DR..
Holmes said that one of the most inn
portant will be the development OF
greater safety and efficiency in mines
and to prevent so far as possible the
loss of life in mines. The chief pur-
pose of conservation, as DR.. Holmes
sees 1t, Is that the loss of human life
| shall be minimized and that the Se-
sources be used in the most careful
manner possible, removing the great
est amount of waste not only in the
raw products, but in the semi-retined
and the refined products as well.
To do the latter means that the goV-
| ernment has g. great task before IT,
but one which, If successful, will
| cause probably nine-tenths per cent
of the raw product to be refined
whereas, at the present time, in the
case of many of the minerals, nine"
tenths is wasted.
| The test of explosives has been one
| of the first tasks of the bureau OF
mines, and DR.. Holmes said last night
| that the powder men themselves are
applying for permits to have their ex-
I DlOSlVeS LeSL6u, IIuS SHOWlIB 4lOW
| eager men connected with the mining
| industry are to cooperate with the
| bureau.
With respect to publicity, DR..
| Holmes said that the bureau would see
to it that everything of interest to the
people would be given them direct
| from the bureau in the best and most
honest way possible, thus removing
| any doubt as to the workings in mines.
| The bureau will work for the good
of all the states and will seek, there
| fore, the full cooperation of them ALL
| so that the loss Of human life may
be lessened and that the individual
and general problems Of mining may
be worked out to the satisfaction OF
all concerned.
SYSTEM TO AID MINERS
A statement that won applause from
| the audience was that the bureau OF
mines win work for the interests Of
mining men and the mines and that
1t will be most vigilant in defending
the mining mems cause at Washington
and elsewhere to the extent Of its au-
| thority
DR.. Holmes denied that the bureau
would, in advancing intelligent con-
servation, in any way advocate or
work for curtailment in the develop
ment of the natural resources. Waste
and it's elimination so far as possible
! Continued on Page slxl