The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-04-24
Mining MEN MEM
ORIALIzE CONGRESS

At the conference of the Silver-Lead
! Producers of the states of Nevada,
Idaho, Utah, Montana, Colorado, Ari-
zona and New Mexico, held in Salt
Lake City, April 3 and 4, the follow.
ing memorial was adopted:
/ To the President, to the Senate and
the House of Representatives:
The lead producers of the Rocky
mountain states respectfully presen.
for your consideration the following
facts relative to their industry:
The entire population of Utah, Ne.
vada, Colorado, Arizona, idaho and
Montana is dependent on the mining
industry, of which lead mining forms
very important part.
The output of gold and silver is
largely associated with and dependent
upon the production of lead, much of
the gold and silver ore being smelted
on the lead basis. Restriction of the
output of lead will therefore reduce
the output of the precious metals.
! The men employed in the lead mines
receive the highest wages paid to min
ing labor in the United States Almost
all are native born or naturalized citi.
zens, of high average of intelligence.
! Of the total traffic of the railroads
] of the western states, it has been
shown by railway statistics that over
eighty per cent is furnished bv min
eral products.
| All of the lead ores of the Rocky
mountain states contain some precious
metal Without these precious metals
the lead could not be produced, be-
cause the cost of production exceeds
the value of the lead alone. Crediting
/ the value of the precious metals such
as gold and silver, against the cost
| of producing the lead, the average
profit does not exceed one-half cent
/ per pound of lead, at the price of "A
cents, which is the average price for
the last five years. This profit is, in
most cases. less than five per cent on
the capital invested, which is made
quate in view of the risks involved in
all mining enterprises.
/ The present duties on lead have pro
duced, for the last ten years, an av-
erage annual revenue of $734,63S,
which is approximately eighty per
cent more than the revenue as esti-
mated in the bill introduced in the last
congress (H. B. 1S,642). 1t is clear,
therefore, that the present duties are
not in any sense prohibitive, but, on.
the contrary. are competitive and rev.
enue producing.
1t may be admitted, however, that
there is disparity between the duty
on lead in ore and the duty on lead
in pigs, bars and bullion, and that the
! latter might be reduced to the same
basis as the lead in ore, without any
! serious detriment to the lead produc-
ers But the protection afforded by
! the duty on lead in ore is absolutely
essential to the maintenance of the
lead industry in this country. The
fact that, even with the present duty
! of 11a cents per pound on lead in ore,
the margin between cost and selling
price is less than one-half cent per
pound, leaves no room for argument as
! to it's necessity.
| Under the rate of duty proposed last
/ year, revenue would be decreased, if
the quantities imported remained the
same. Or, in order to produce the same
revenue as at present, the quantities
/ imported would have to be increased
eighty per cent. Such an increased
importation could only be absorbed in
Jul maj htl ny uicpldSlHk bHC C4ulfd-
lent quantity of domestic lead. In
no better off, in the matter of reve-
nue., than it is now; but part of our
own lead industry would be cut off,
and the money that should go to the
development of our own resources
would go to develop those of Spain
and Mexico, our chief competitions in
the production of lead.
The mining communities of the
mountain states afford the principal
market for much of the agricultural
product of the west. Anything that
destroys or eurtails mining must react
to the injury of the farmers.
The development and growth of the
western states have been coincident
with the development of mining.
Whatever retards the latter must in
evitably check the development of all
other industries in the mining states.
For the foregoing reasons the lead
producers of the Rocky mountain
states, through their representatives
in conference at Salt Lake City, do
respectfully request that no change
be made in the duty on lead in ores,
and that it be allowed to remain as at
present, specific duty of 11a cents
per pound on the lead contained; and
that the duty on lead in pigs, bars and
bullion be reduced from the present
rate of two and one-eights cents per
pound to one and one-half cents per
pound; placing it on the same basis as
lead in ores. We believe that so far
as lead is concerned, this would be a
substantial compliance with the prom
ises of the Democratic party to revise
the tariff downward. 1t would be a
reduction of 29.4 per cent in the duty
on lead in pigs, bars and bullion, the
form in which most of our imports are
made; while leaving to the domestic
producers of the raw lead-ores the
present measure of protection which
they need to insure the continuance of
their industry.
1t is respectfully urged, also, that
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