The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-27
Congressman Howell Tells How
Bureau of Mines Activity
Can Be Increased.
EASTERN FIELDS IN
COMPLETE CONTROL
MetaIIiferouS Mines Are Not
Helped, hui Should Be, and
Can Be.

That il Is high time for tho wcstcrr
mining men TO take some action In eM'
tending the usefulness OF the bureau o.
mines OF Washington is the opinion ol
Congressman Joseph Howell, who has
communicated with John Dern. president
nr the American Mining congress. on TINS
subject Mr.. Howell also states that he
has urged President Taft 10 attend the
coming annual session Of the mining con
gross at Chicago, and that the president
has expressed himself as willing and anN :
ious TO attend if such is possible.
In his letter TO Mr.. Dcn MIR Howell
discusses the bureau of mines question
as follows:
For some time past have been max
ing a somewhat thorough investigation
OF the work being done by The bureau OF
mines. and / find that It's activity has,
thus far, been confined exclusively 10
accident ard relief work in the various
coal mining fields OF the cast and no
attention whatever has been accorded the
metaliiferous mines OF the west. On in
Guiry am convinced that this condition
is due wholly To the fact that the ap-
propriatlons heretofore have been so nm
lted as To render impossible any cNten-
sion OF the work OF the bureau into new
fields The officers and experts arc COM
pctcnt and efficient and would. am con
lidcnt, welcome any opportunity OF
lIferous mining fields in the scope of their
Investigations.
Prejudice of East.
1T is possible Ia make the bureau Of
mines a source Of incalCulabe benefit TO
the western mining interests il the proper
Investigations; tests OF metals and other
scientific worlS--which = national bureau
of mines should make-could be success
fully and satisfactorily conducted. Con-
Gress might be prevailed upon 10 make
l.. e a. ss,,
anlarging the bureau OF mines If the pro-
nounced prejudice, at present existing in
tho minds OF eastern people, against in
cTcasing The functions OF the bureau so
as 10 Include more than the work 1t is
now doing. l. G.. accident and relief work
in coal mines. could bc overcome.
In this connection ] suggest that YOU
az the head OF the American Mining con-
grcss. together with other leading mining
men. should devise some method Of Great
ing public sentiment farorins an enlarged
bureau oil mines and that an active cam
psiGn be naucuratcd which may finally
result IN causing congress 10 take the
desired action.
You may depend upon my support of
any plan adopted. as | am fully convinced
that tho metalliferous mining interests
would receive great aid from a bureau
of mines operated on broad scientific
lines"
West Is Deserving.
Commenting upon this matter, Mr. Dern
stated that the bureau without question
was right IN combining its present oper-
ationS 10 life saving and relief work,
which is more important than assisting
the western metal miner In solving some
oi the great metallurGicsl problems thai
confront him. Life is moro TO he con-
scNcd than resources. Yet he believes
this theory can attach only on the basis
of insufficient funds to broaden the cf-
forts OF this new national department
To make The bureau national in scope
and such certainly was tho aim OF the
mining congress in securing the forms-
ton Of the bureau. the west as well as
tho east Is entitled to Che benefit of it's
operations. and IL appears the only way
IN which this result can nc gained Is
TO convince The eastern congress man that
he should give the western miner some
bencnt from an institution which purely
and simply WAS the result OF western en-
ierpriSc and effort