The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-07-25
American Mining Congress

The organization known as the American Mining Congress has had
its ups and downs-apparenty mostly downs-during the past few
years. In a large degree it has been a oneman organization, and that
one m n is James F. Canbreath, the secretary, the only official of the
congress who draws a salary. That is, Secretary Calbreath is sup
posed to draw a salary but evidence is accumulating which points to
the fact that IS a salary-drawer he is more o less of a failure. For
this deducation the Tribune has the authority of a committee composed
of Hennen Jennings, James Douglas, d. w. Brunton, Samuel A lay
Tor, Nj. S. Kemmerer, Harry L. Day and Carl Scholz-names to conJure
with so far As the mining industry is concerned.
These gentlemen, evidently appointed for the purpose, have lately
issued a report which has to do with the financial affairs OF the Amer
lean Mining Congress. This is the first time a financial statement has
been issued for a number of years. And it is a disappointment! 1t
shows that during the period from 1905 to 1913, inclusive, the organlza-
ton has run behind in the aggregate sum OF S1l1oo, and this deficit is
owed in its entirety to James F. Calbreath, the secretary, for salary
arrears. 1t is for this reason that the Tribune avows that Secretary Call
breath is a poor saary-drawer.
Anent this deficit the committee says: The original agreement
with the secretary i'll 1905 was that for three-ffths of his time, he was
to receive 5000 per month. In 1912, the directors, in consideration OF
his devotng his whole time to the congress affairs, considered he was
thoroughly entitled to $500 per month. Since starting the work he has
conducted the financial end of it on the principle that the congress IN
debtedness should be limited to himself Means for improving the
financial situation OF the organization are 10Y being considered. 1t has
been proposed to create a corporation class of membership and a canvass
among the corporations is to be inaugurated. The committee says:
Should no encouragement be given to the project by these representa-
tive men, it would then be well to face the fact and drop our political
program and office at Washington at once
From a n income standpoint the American Mining Congress has
had hard shedding. In some quarters there has been a disposition not to
take the organization seriously. 1t has played second fiddle to the
American Institute of Mining Engineers throughout its life. This was
to be expected. Concerning the affairs and aims OF the American Min
ing Congress the Engineering and Mining Journal is moved to say in
its last issue:
The American Mining Congress previous to about 1905 was
not an altogether reputable organization. About that time a sincere
effort was made by ]. W. Richards of Boise, Idaho, for many years
it's president, and F. Canbreath of Denver, Colo, long its secre-
tary, to elevate the organization to a healthy and useful plane. They
we're nothing less than the creation of an organization which might
speak for the mining industry. The conception was bold and theo-
reticany it was appealing. What could be more useful than an an
nual convention of representative mining men assembled to discuss
the problems affecting them and exertng pressure upon legislators
to secure what the industry needed? In fact this kind o. work dc
secure the creation of the U. S. bureau of mines, the one great &C
compllshment of the A. M. c.
However, IS N exponent of the mining industry the American
Mining Congress signaly failed, S is manifest from its member
ship record. An organization which cannot maintain the interest
of a considerable membership to the extent of payment OF dues
lacks the elements of success, and, of course, the 500 " 600 dues
paving members that the American Mining Congress has numbered
out of the whole mining industry of the United States is rldculousy
few. Yet the officers of the congress have been earnest and sincere,
while Mr.. Canbreath, the secretary, has been almost qulxolc IN his
self sacrificing devotion. With the establishment of a Washington
headquarters a few years ago, the congress began to tread the
dangerous path OF lobbying. When any organization OF this kind
begins to express its opinion as an organization and urge that
opinion, there is likely to be scattered the seeds of dissension.