The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-20
t amphs of the woman suffrage move
CONFIscATE THE RADIUM!

The Government OF the United States
has done many harmful things that
| hamper the progress Of tho Western
coast and mountain States IL has
| created very large forestry areas. has
withdrawn immense quantities of land
from the market on the theory that
they were coal or oil lands, or that they
carried water powers And these acts
have been harmful 20 the progress OF
these mountain and coast States, be.
cause they prevent the settlement of
the lands confirm coal monopoies bv
preventing the opening OF independent
coal mines. and IN general have kept
the land out of use so that the States
have not had the benefit Of the assess
ment and taxation Of these lands.
When we consider the immense area OF
lands SO withdrawn from market, it is
easy 10 see that the States have been
seriously injured by the governmental
policy in this respect. These reserved
lands ought to have been thrown open
10 occupancy and brought under taxa
tion, and the water powers developed
for economic purposes and the lands
used for agricultural purposes and also
fully brought within the taxing power
Of the State.
Another proposition 10 invade the
States is presented in an editorial in
the Springfield (Mass.) Republican, as
follows:
The government IS being urged 10 take
action TO control the radium mines OF
Colorado and Utah. which are said 10 be
whose product goes to Europe. adding
greatly 20 the cost OF the precious metal
for American consumption in It's refined
state. Austria's action In buying the
pitchblende mines at Joachlmsthal. which
are valuable sources OF radium. is cited
as a suggestive precedent II might be
suggested that the logic Of IL would he
control OF other valuable
resources-logic which is becom-
Ing less and less terrifying.
1t is not clear how the radium mines
of Utah and Colorado are going 10 be !
taken over by the Government. The
only radium ores found are in mines |
already located and worked, and many |
of them patented. The prospectors
have gone through the country, have
i lOuHd ine CIppplhHc VI lhS iulHcSJ lo- |
Gated them, and their claims TO the |
mines are undoubtedly lawful and good |
How the Government OF the United |
States is going 10 confscate these mines
is something that is not explained; nor
is il explained how radium ores can be |
disclosed by merely Withdrawing lands |
And yet in view Of tho governmental |
operations and the many law defying !
bureaus. there is possibility contained !
in this hint that NAV be menacing TO
The owners OF mines that contain /
radium ores. The proposition is really |
z coniscatory one, designed to rob the
owners of these mines OF their prop
rrtv and their rights. And the final |
suggestion that this confscation OF |
mines carrying radium ores may be ex
Tended to governmental conhscation OF
other mines or claims that contain
other available natural resources -
is one that might fairly bc alarming,
{ il were not so absolutely impossible,
Judging from the governmental theory
,ud practice with respect 10 mines from
he first location of any mines in the
United States TO the present day.