Bisbee daily review., 1913-02-23
MINING IS
DESERVING
Government Appropriations
in Aid of Industry
Insignificant in
Proportion
TRYING FOR CHANGE

Hal the fedL HlntnS EuAStFN OF liit
United States. employing i million
miners and two million men directly
connected with its work. with an an
nual production OF two billion dollars
is not understood and appreciated by
the congress Of the United States and
the people of the country is the claim
mads By James F. Galbreath, Secre-
tary OF the American Mining congress,
who has established headquarters in
Washington TO look after the various
legislative needs Of the industry.
He makes the statement that agri-
culture which has been fostered for
years by the Federal government has
been making tremJ ndous gains as a
result of this aid, and that the west
ern mining industry with its complex
luw-grade ore problems unsolved is 8
waning industry with a constantly de
creasing number of men employed.
lie declares mat mining in the West
ern states IS practically Al a stand
still. and that there is no hope for re
viving il until congress has q fairer
idea of the great Importance OF min
ing to the prosperity Of the people.
The foundation industries Of the
Tilted States are agriculture and
mining 10 the prosperity Of the peo'
PIE.
THE two foundation industries OF
the United States are agriculture and
mipfng.~ said Mr.. Galbreath. "Agricul
ture is perhaps twice or three times
as important as mining. in the num-.
her of men engaged and in the value
OF its product
irrespective of their relative I'M
portance. one thing stands out pre-
eminenuy and that is there can be nc
great agricultural prosperity without
the prosperity fthe mines. The
population that depends upon the
mines and the manufactured products
Of the mines supports agriculture.
Just the other day the senate com
pleted a piece Of legislation which
will give 70 the various state agricut
turaI COLLEGES the sum OF three mil
lion dollars yearly for the extension OF
their work among the farmers. The
bin was passed through both houses
with comparative ease. as every. lont
seems to have a thorough knowledge
OF the needs OF agriculture. A report
which accompanied this bill shows
That the National government has
spent on the agricultural experiment
colleges and experiment stations in
round figures SIC. geo 00G: that IL now
spends Sc $4,000 in cash annually
upon them: that Congress has appro-
priated each year Sl5.000,0D0 for car
rying on the exclusively agricultural
work o fthe department Of agricu-
ture.
With the additional 81. G0G. geo each
year Just granted. the total Federal
aid given agriculture annually will be
at least so. O6O, 900. The result OF this
generous expenditure OF money by
rha Federal government for agricuf
fure is seen in the phenomenal IN
crease in production from year u
year and the final bumper harvest 81
Inst fall
what do we find the situation to
be in regard TO mining The Bureau OF
Mines is getting one-half a million dol
lars a year. about as much money as
is granted 70 the department of agrl-
culture for the printing and binding
OF its publications. The Geological
Survey. in existence many years. IS
now getting one million and a half
dollars a year, a considerable part oil
which is used for the benefit OF az
riculture and other industries. THIS Is
a total Of two million dollars OF Fed
eral aid for the great mining indus
try with its paramount unsolved PROB
Iems-problems that are outside Of so
luton by private parties,
In agriculture the men work IN
the omen sunlight with a minimum OF
hazard TO life In mining nearly 100.
600 men work in the dark cayerns
UNDERGROUND with a hazard that is not
eduaIled in any other iHdustry. The
mines and qllarries of the United
States have an annual death roll OF
more than 1900 men and $4,000 in.
jured. This calamity of death leaves
in its trail $500 OF more widows and
Is 900 fatherless children. IT places
upon the states the burden Of caring
for many of these widows and or
phans, an amount that must be many
hundreds OF thousands Oi dollars a
year.
we know from the experiences OF
foreign countries that fully .one-half
Of the number of deaths IN the mines
OF the United States are unnecessary
We know that the work Of the Bureau
of Mines. has reduced this terrible
death rate, in the coal mines. The
deaths in 1912 in the coal mines viii
be approximately 500 iess than IN
the year 1907 when this work was
first begun. Practically nothing has
been done by the bureau in regard
20 the deaths in metal mines and the
rate is heavier than in the coal mines.
Neither has anything been aQcom-
plished In reducing the number Of
deaths in the quaTries which have a
stiH higher rate than the metal mines
This work can not be taken up until
congress and the people OF the United
States begin TO have some adequate
idea Of the importance OF the minins
industry.
The Bureau Of Mines has asked
FOR $685. 10 be gin work on IFS me