The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1912-02-15
OPPOSES TARIFF REDUCTION
Inspector Tells What Effect Reduction
Will Have on Mining Indus
try of State.

Boise dispatch says State Mining Inspector r. n Bell
who has left for Washington, d. Co. where he will JON some
prominent representatives of the mining industry in the state
from Shosone and Lemh counties in personal protest
against passage of the Underwood tariff measure, speak
ing the probable effect of this if it becomes law,
said
rhe reduction of the tariff lead and zinc proposed
10y the Underwood BILL simply the destruction OF the
mining industry of Idaho Our lead deposits, while large
and permanent of comparative low grade The aver
age porduc of the Coeu dAene mines hardly exceeds per
in lead it brought to the surface, after which 1T IN
wolves subsequent treatment by expensive and intricate mill
ing processes eliminate the waste and prepare it for ship
ment and ultimate treatment by smelling.
'This important mining industry in Shosllone county
alone gives steady employment force Of 5000 men, whose
average daily earnings Of $3.50 per day. and at
ords cash pay roll of 100000 per year for
wages alone without mention of transportation and other
Tributary lines of business and trade it supports.
cover 90 per cent of those employees English speak
ling American citizens and foreigners employed in the
mines at all who have not declared their intentions OF beco
ling citizens and in consequence this industry is blessed with
intelligent capable class Of labor at good and the
proposed reduction in the tariff would put this high class Am
rcan labor direct competition with the peon labor of Mex
leo and SPAIN which paid average of about 80 cents
per day. it would let down the bars for the introduction OF
the extensive lead and of these countries and
of Canada and would result putting the lead and zinc
lucers of Idaho practically out Of business
''Whle the large deposits of which mines
tain afford an immense tonnage under present conditions, the
margin of profit per ton mined small that would rac
cay wiped out by the tariff reduction proposed and the
consequent drop price of the principal product of these
mines
"With the advantage of it's railroad transportation
he lead producing districts of Lemh county, which are even
more extensive than those of Shosone county, have
recently important shippers and have the DEFINITE ear
amks of developing similar great industrial resources but
Twill suffer annhation by the proposed tariff reduction and
could not operate profit The true OF the zinc
producing industry of this state, which is developing IN
livery aerng under present conditions and made
gross output of 100000 pounds of during the year 1911
''le principal Of this zinc output from few
mines Sosone county, but the deposits Of Idaho
| Owyhee county and Blaine county equally rich in
Zine Soshone county and susceptible to important
development and production of this class of mineral which,
even under present conditions mined at very close
gin of profit by of the complicated character of the
high of dressing and the long distance which it's pro-
ducts have to be shipped for final treatment after being mined
land concentrated
'he practical destruction of the zinc and lead mining in
dstry of Idaho by the proposed tariff reduction which would
inevitably result should it become law would have the fur
her disastrous effect the future development of the other
mineral of this state by eliminating the present
Ipes of profitable mining operations and consequent dis
|couragement of mining investment in general
GAS matter of fact the other mineral Of Idaho
Especially in gold copper and tungsten of wide extent and
Exceptionally fatteng promise We have undeveoped dis
c that afford tn prospect of tonnage and values
exceed by very few mining districts in the world whose
cessfu development would afford home market for farm
produce and increase in general commercial
development and the destruction of present Of
mining profits would discourage developing along these lines
Ito the serious detrmen of the whole state"