El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-26
MINING NEWS
NEEDS 100000
FOR MINE BUREAU
Secretary Fisher Declares
Industry Is Neglected for
Want of Funds.

Washington, D. c., June 26.-Secreta-
~ Fisher has submitted to congress an
estimate Of $4,000 for the work OF
the bureau Of mines in the states west
of the Mississippi river during next
year. The money is needed for inQui-
ries and Investigations into mining and
treatment of ores, and for equipment,
supplies etc Secretary Fisher declares
that if the Investigations he proposes
are made there will be no foundation
for the fear that private corporations
VIII unload their troubles on the gov
eminent.
FEsaer Talks.
In urging immediate action by con-
gress, secretary Fisher says:
With the increasing compleXity Of
the conditions controlling the mining
industry, and its growing Importance
as a basis Of our national welfare, it is
becoming, not only more appropriate,
but more necessary that the general
government, through its inquiries and
Investigations, aid the miners in much
the same way that it has with such
generosity and success aided the farm
erS of the country The failure OF the
general government to DO this in the
past is to be explained only by the fact
that the conditions have not been ade-
quately understood.
There are special reasons why the
federal government should aid the
mining industry in the public land
states. The government is still the
largest owner Of mineral lands in those
states Even were these states sUffi-
GENTLY wealthy to grant apprOpria-
lions without reserve there would be,
If the work were all done by these
states, costly duplication in effort and
expenditures, as for the most part the
problems are common to all of them
Industry Has Been Neglected.
No better illustration can be given
of the extent to which the mining in
dustry has been relatively neglected
and the agricultural industries fostered
IN the general plans for Industrial de-
Telopment than the fact that during
the past 10 years not only has the fed
eral government expended large sums
from the public treasury in behalf OF
Investigations looking to agricultural
development, but 1t has expended IN
behalf Of the reclamation of arid lands
for farm purposes in the public land
states the proceeds of the sale of all
public lands (S65,000,00O), including
even the proceeds of the sale OF min
eraI lands, the latter aggregating near
" $1,000, 600. It would certainly have
been reasonable and fair If during this
period the proceeds OF the sale Of min
eral lands in these states had been de-
voted to Investigations looking to the
Upbuilding Of the tagging mining IN
dustry there.
Meanwhile, during this period. slim
ualted by this aid from the federal
government. the agricultural products
of the public land states have increased
from an average annual valuation OF
1856, 600, GOO during the five years from
1901 to 1865, TO an average annual val
uation OF 1855, 900, 900 for the five
years from 1906 to 1910, During SINH
lar periods the average annual valua-
ton Of the mineral products in the
public land states Including the pre-
cious metals copper, lead, zinc, coal
and petroleum. increased from $751;
OO0, GOO during the first period to $685.
90, 600 during the second period; while
in the production of the precious met
ais there has been a decrease from an
average annual valuation of S1S6, OO0,-
600 during the first period to an aver
age annual valuation of S127, 200, 900
during the second period"