Gilpin observer., 1913-11-27
MINES NEED =
FEDERAL AID

The mining bureau of the state
should be thoroughly reorganized,
and allowed the privilege to cooper
ate freely with our federal bureaus
on corporations and conservation. /
The dead timbers should be thrown !
out and live material inserted. The /
bureau at this time can be of i'm !
mense value to the state in laying
before our national government the
cause leading to the present mac
tivity in mining and the elimination
of the old-time prospector in this and
other mining states. Through this
bureau, the national government
should be informed of the facts that
retard mining in the great west,
chief among them being the system
of forest reserve instituted by Gift
ford Pinchot, once head of the bur
eau of conservation. Under his sys-
TEN, millions of acres of land in this
and other mining states were with
drawn from entry and set aside as
forest reserve. Much of this land
abounds in minerals and is aboye
timber line, where a forest or for
est tree has never grown or ever
will grow. Forest rangers were en-
ployed to guard this vast domain
and the prospector in order to pros
pect. had to obtain a permit, and If
fortunate enough to find a paying
vein or lode. submit it to the forest
ranger for his approval before patent
can issue. This method was obnoxi-
Gus to the prospector and in few
years all of that noble band that
had made this great west possible
had retired from the field. If we
ever expect to again have another
Aspen, Leadville or Cripple Creek,
the government must relax some OF
its red-tape methods and allow tile
prospector the liberties of the public
domain as in the days of yore.
The greatest of all trusts known
and the one that has and is now
working more hardships upon the
people of the mining states than any
other known power, is the combina-
tion of capital known as the Ameri-
can Smelling and Refining company
Our government ought to investigate
and take. such steps as to compel
.hem to enter into competition with
others in the metal market, instead
of dominating the market as it now
does. Were our state bureau OF
mines allowed to cooperate with our
federal bureau of corporations, they
might receive light as regards this
giant octopus that has fastened It's
fangs SO firmly upon our leading in
dusty.
Agriculture receives from the ma
tional government more than $4,000,
COO annually in aid of the farmers
for experimental purposes III cheap
ening lie cost of production and nus
banding the soil. While mining, one
4 Fof the chief industries of the nation,
receives the paltry sum of $f,O0O,00O,
only a small per cent of which is
spent in stimulating its production.
Agriculture receives one dollar of ma
tional aid for every 1915 produced by
that industry, while mining, which is
equally important and requires great
er scientific attainment, is but slight
ly recognized.
Not satisfied with the extortion
rates heaped upon this great industry
by the aforesaid smelling company,
and the penurious treatment of the
government, our legislature at its
last session, enacted into law what
lis known as the Tait-Skinner mines
tax bill. This bill provides not only
for the assessment Of all mining
property at its full cash value, but
in addition thereto, one half Of the
gross output plus all the net profits
for the preceding year. This nefari'
ous bill, which has already closed
many Of our mines, and II retained
upon our statute books, will close
nearly every gold and silver mine, In
the state, was strenuously fought by
some Of our mining representatives
but was carried to a successful ter
mination by the allied forces from
: Denver and the farming sections
} These instances illustrate that an or
ganized effort will be necessary al
the next session Of our Legislature
3 to repeal this unjust and discriminat
ing law. The farmer tills his sol
7. and produces the crop and when once
!. garnered lays his plans and perhaps
4 fertilizes for the next, and so OF
k from year to year, each year addinl
I to the value of his estate. But thu
] mine owner when his mineral is onc'
e removed from his mine, has takel
g away the values OF his property for
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