Bisbee daily review., 1912-02-03
MINING LAWS OUT IF DATE
The Present Paralysis in Some Districts Is Due to Lax En-
 fOrcement
SURVEY HAS REMEDY

Proposed amendments Of the we'll established laws relating to metallifer- ous minerals always raise the warm est discussion. With the opinion of mining men in general fayoring revi- sion of mining la Hs of the United States and with comm,s ,ssion after commission appointed by various bod les to suggest improvements. the stat. utes have remained practically dr- changed for near i0 years, while the geology of ore deposits and the tech nology ol metal mining have made marvellous progress.
 Most important, perhaps, in any amended mining law would be proyis- ion for enforced development, a prin- ciple expressed, it is true. in .-he present law but not made effective in it's workings. A requirement. of act ual use as a condition of occupancy of mineral land cannot be regarded as either novel or radical. As regards the large acreage Of undeveloped land in many mining camps 10 which pat ent has already been issued, it is per- haps true that the situation is without relief, unless the western Australia
  ment steps in and permits mining un- der a lease the proceeds of whicn are assessed. collected and paid over to tine owner. The principle inyolye,l seems to be that Ho property owner can rightfully oppose the development of the resources of the state.
 In the case Of unpatented claims Q remedy should be sought for what has been termed the paralysis of minins districts and the rigid requirement of annual assessment work should bc made actual and effective by inspec- lion and supervision, ir order to py. an end 10 the present procedure Of allowing a claim 10 lie idle for prac- tiCally two years alter it--location. not to mention tie mary localities where claims are held year after year with only perfunctory compliance or even without any performance of asses ment work-a type of local disregard d fer law that is in striking contrast to line observation accorded to the dis trict customs and regulations Of earlier days, whereby the right Of possession was made absolutely de pendant upon continuous operations (From report of director United States Geological Survey.)
 The United States Geological Sur vey is probably one of the few organ. -izations where statistich are handled and discussed by scientists who are the leaders in their particular profes- sions. or special lines For example. the statistics of annual gold and silver production. after being collected by statisticians. are arranged and dis cussed in their relation to the out put of previous years and with ref erence to the worlds statistics. as well as to the worlds precious metal ore reserves, under the direction of a geOl- 0gist who is one of the worlds author ities on ,ore deposits, mining geolO- gist of international repute. This pro cedure applied to the statistics for the several score metals and min erals whose production is reported an nually by the Survey. coupled with the fact that the annual statistics are de- rived from individual reports from almost every mine owner and oper- ator, gives to the Survey reports of mineral production an authority and standing which make them pre- eminent.
 Idle Mining Property.
 The remedy for the existing evil 0f idle mining property must be sough: either in the adoption of leasehold, under which the government can en- force operation. system which fully attaIns the desired end Of promoting mining development in Australia and New Zealand, according to the report made in 1907 by Geologist A. C. Veatch