The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-01-23
PETITION OF THE ZINC
MINING ASSOCIATION
FACTS PRESENTED SHOW THE
PRESENT DUTY ON ORE TO be
A REVENUE PRODUCER.

pSttAcH pASoSANCN ~ SuO V0yc eAis
) means committee Of congress by the
! Zinz Mining association, q large num-
Der Of whose members are now at the
capital attempting to prevent congress
from reducing the tariff. Among these
members Is Fl. +. Samuels of Wallace
principal stakeholder and manager OF
the Success mine
In the discussion of this question we
feel that 1t is not out OF place for us
to state frankly upon what theory we
shall base our discussion. In order to
defray the expenses of this govern
ment 1t is necessary to raise several
hundred million of dollars by means
of a tariff. We believe that the prime
object of every tariff should be rev.
enue. We also believe that whenever
a tariff placed upon an article pro-
tariff not only yields revenue. but it
yields an incidental protection The
only tariff that would yield revenue
without incidental protection would be
a tariff placed upon an article or arti-
Giles which are produced abroad and
not produced at home. We believe
that a tariff levied only on articles
/, produced abroad and not at home.
would not be sufficient to defray the
expenses of this government 1t fol-
lows, therefore, that in levying a tar
! If sufficient to defray the expenses of
this government whether so desired or
not, said tariff is bound to bring a GER
tain measure Of protection.
1t seems to us then in shaping this
tariff, it is necessary TO regard it both
from the standpoint of revenue and
incidental protection. From the stand.
point of revenue the tariff should be SC
formulated as to bring an adequate
amount of money to run the govern
ment and distribute the burden of tax
alton as equitably as possible. F'rom
the standpoint of incidental protection
the effort should be to distribute the
protection as widely as possible, to
see to it that it Is not used as bull
wark of monopoly and above all t.
see to it that the men who toll, get
their fair share of said incidental pro-
lection. In other words, tariff shoule
be a revenue producer. II should not
be an aid to monopoly. and the bene-
fits of incidental protection should be
placed where most needed
Statement Of Facts Outlined.
With this in mind, we desire to Sc.
forth the following facts which we be-
lieve tend to show that the presen,
duty on zinc ore should be maintained
l. The present duty has been =
revenue producer. 1t has yielded
total revenue of s759,2S4.S3, or an ap
proximate average annual revenue of
s250,0
2. The present duty is not restrict
We. The average annual importation
If zinc ores since the duty has been {
imposed has been greater than the av
rage annual importation for the five I
ears Immediately prior to the imposi- &
ion of the duty. I
). There is not even suspicion Of !
monopoly in zinc mining. t
4. The wages in zinc mining ara \
Ugh. There is no foreign or cheap a
lbor in this industry. O
5. or the total cost of zinc ready
or the consumer sc to 10 per cent is d
expended in the mining and concentra- l
ion of the ores. over one half of tho u
inning and concentrating cost is paid
, labor. f,
g.. Owing to the difference in wages Il
he cost of producing zinc ore in tho 81
nited States is higher than that of Ito
reducing zinc ore in Mexico For t.
his reason from the standpoint of in ia
dental protection we feel that the
nc industry is entitled to consldera-
on in the formation of revenue tar.
Present Duty Revenue Producer. c,
During the three years in which the
'esent tariff has been In force. there
we been brought into the United r.
ates in 1910 s7,4o6 tons In 1911 rs Ia
] and in 1912 $4,000 tons of zinc ores. ~,
should be remembered. too, that the NJ
incipal source of zinc imports, Next In,
, has been in state of revolution ",
the past Two years, greatly dis tai
ganizing the Mexican mining indus MI
= ana had peace prevailed 1t is fair
presume the imports would have tht
Ell much larger. In the ores i'm tht
rted the metal contents have been prt
',s4l,066 pounds of zinc, or this wa
re nave been re-cxported 45.53O.9S4 yer
mas of zinc smeltcd In bond The by
c ores that were imported for con wa
hption and upon which duty was
q, have brought in as revenue since
gust b, 1909, the date Of the present
assure taking effect, a total of -759.-
49, table compiled from the re- y
Us or the bureau of commerce and sust
Dr., showing in detail the amount M ,
ected for each calendar year and bro,
grade Of ore and declared valua- trea