The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-15
UTAH MINING MEN ALERT.

VIC are Glad TO see that the mining
men Of this State are alert, and arc
preparing to present to Congress the
necessary data as TO the cost Of pro
duciug lead and zine; TO object to the
amendment of the right of way law. and
TO get better ruling on the issue Of
patents.
| It is well known that one Of the fa
vorite activities Of the lead using (not
producing) Eastern constituencies is to
get up clamor for reduction in tho
tariff on lead whenever the Democrats
demonstrated at the recent extra scs-
sion, where the Democratic House
passed. and the Democratic Senators,
aided by Progressive Senators, CON
Cured in, a bill revising the metal
schedule and revising it on principles
that are altogether wrong; for all
metals were treated from the same ba-
sis, and without any regard to their
different standing in the markets, their
different methods and principles Of
the great organization, let us say, Of
the steel trust, and of the individual
lead and zinc miners Of all this region.
| 1t is manifest, however, in even the
most cursory examination, that the pro-
duction of lead and zinc is on an en-
tirely different basis from the produc-
ton and manufacture of steel. The
great steel corporations have their own
ore supply, digging the ore as they need
it, transporting it to where they want
it. smelling il, and finally manufac-
turing it into every form Of steel util-
ity as the market calls for. No such
conditions as these exist In the pro-
duction of lead or zinc. There is no
tremendous corporation or combination
in control Of the lead and zinc manu-
| factures in this country, using its own
mines, and producing it's own lead or
zinc ore at will.
Not only are the conditions Of pro-
ducing lead and zinc entirely differ
ept from the conditions under which
| iron ore is mined and steel manufac-
tured in this country, but the results of
the mining Of these different metals
are on an altogether different basis
The lead miner, the zinc miner, has to
seek market for his product when
he digs it out. When this product is
nun into bars or pigs, it is sold for the
company or the individual that has
mined the ore. He has no way Of do
ing anything with the lead or the zinc,
except to sell it. He does not engage
ia the manufacture of lead pipes or
articles made from lead or zinc upon
the markets SO far as he is con-
cerned, his lead or zinc as smelted is
the finished product, and he has moth
ing more to do with 1t except to sell
il. But, as stated, 1T is an entirely
different thing with iron. The cor
poration that does the iron ore min
ing digs the ore, smelts it, takes the
iron as smelted. makes steel of it, and
then works that steel mp into all mar.
ketable forms, So far as iron is con-
cerped, 1T is not a finished product by
the corporations that handle iron ore
from the first until it is finally turned
out into its completely manufactured
form.
Accordingly, the lead miner is ON an
entirely different footing from the
huge corporations that handle the iron
and steel product from first to last.
What is the lead and zinc miueris fin
ished product is the raw material Of the
manufacturer that takes il in hand.
The distinction between the mining and
manufacturing of iron and steel in all
their processes, as compared with the
production of lead and zinc, is so clear
that it would seem as if any member Of
Congress ought TO understand the whole
matter on a mere statement of the case
but, unfortunately the members of Con-
gress from the Eastern States either do
not understand, or do not wish TO un-
derstand, this difference. Their anx.
iety as political proposition is to vim
djcate certain theories, and as a prac-
teal proposition to give their constltu-
ents cheaper products Of lead and
zinc and so it becomes the duty Of
the lead miners in all this Western
country to get up course Of educa-
tion on the production Of lead aud zinc,
and showing of the difference be-
tween that production and the produe.
tion and manufacture Of iron and steel
1t is good TO see that the Utah mining
men are alert in this matter, and that
they have called meeting for Novem-
. Der 2lst at the Commercial Club, to
give due aud proper consideration 10
this question. which is Of such vital
, interest to the great mining industries