The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-22
has been perpetrated. which must be
probed to the bottom,
WILL BE INDEPENDENT.

l
1t appears to be practically settled
! by the overwhelming voice OF Utah
mining men that the movement for a
correction of unsatisfactory conditione
in the mining industry, as this indus
try is related to Washington oih-
cialdom. will be an independent move
mept. The Congressional delegation
from this State was furnished with
preliminary meeting of mining men at
the Commercial club oD August End,
/ and the delegation is prompt in plcdg-
ing it's support to the purposes which
the mining men have in view These
purposes arc simply the restoration of
the former ruling of the General Land
Office on mining patents, a ruling
which stood undisputed for moro than
half a century, but which was departed
from recently in the East Tintic case.
In that case subordinate Of the Gen
cral Land Office conceived the brilliant
idea that it is not enough for a
prospcctor to find IA lode in place,
stake his claim according to law, and
do the required work in order TO get 4
patent. He must under this ruling
pursue the development of his claim
and establish the fact that it is a
valuable discovery, profitable TO work,
and that the mineral goes TO the
depths, Mapifestly this is an impos-
sible requirement, aud the promulga-
tiou of this rule has had the effect of
warning of prospectors and paralyz-
ing the business of prospecting for
mines.
Then there are the unfavorable con
ditions created by the paralyzing rul-
ings as to conservation, which do,
in fact. keep prospectors of the
forest reserves, although prospectors
have perfect legal right to go upon
those reserves and search for minerals.
But the forest rangers claim regulations
which practically drive out the pros
pectors. Yet when the Colorado mining
men objected some time ago TO those
regulations and to the restrictive ac-
tions of the forest rangers, the then
chief forester. Clifford Pinchot, had the
impudencc 10 cite the law as conclu-
sive upon the prospectors rights, and
to claim that his force fully recog"
nized the rights of prospectors under
that law. But since this was precisely
what the Colorado mining men claimed
was not the fact, the impudence OF
Pinchot in citing the very law which
he and his subordiuatcs were violating
as a reply 10 the Colorado protest was
an additional evaporation.
The practical question arises now
with the Utah mining men in their
consideration of what they will do to
get relief from these unfavorable con-
ditions, whether they will organize as
an indeptndent association or under
take to act through the American
Mining Congress. The American Mining
Congress has not thus far given any
particular attention to metal mining,
being more concerned in the mining of
coal When The Tribune took up this
question the present month, support
ing the Utah men IN their repre-
sentations and efforts for relief, Secre-
tary Callbreath of the American
Mining Congress wrote letter of
criticism and protest, speaking con-
temptuously Of the support which the
Utah men have given TO the Mining
Congress. But as we said at the time,
even that small support was greater
than the support which the Utah
mining men had received from the con
gress and it was plain case that If
the mining men here were really to
move for relief, they must move on
Independent lines.
We are glad TO see that the Utah
mining men have come to the same con-
clusion. The facts, indeed, were evi-
dent: and it was impossible to figure
out any relief through the American
Mining Congress. The Utah metal
mining men will therefore act specih-
cally in their own interests, and for the
relief which they seek and need. This
is precisely what ought to be, and
The Tribune commends the Utah men
accordingly, for the conclusions they
have reached, and bespeaks for them
the universal support of the mining in-
terests of this metal. mining ropIon.