The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-11-05
LEAD ORE AND THE TARIFF.

When the democratic propaganda
for the revision of the tariff down.
ward" was up for discussion in the
United States senate, Hon. James ii.
Brady of Idaho made the following re-
marks on the reduction of the tariff
on lead ores. AT that time the lead
Industry was in a healthy condition
with the market over 81 and all the
mines in full operation. The bill pass
ell 1t is a year later, and what have
we now? The market price of lead is
$3.50 and no market at that. Not a
single lead mine in the state of Idaho
Is operating at full capacity, and some
of them have closed altogether. The
democrats say it is because of the
European war. The war has become
the goat" for every blunder the demo-
cratic party has made. Fax is fax an
figgers is figgers." and here they are:
Il am going to vote against the bill"
said Senator Brady, for the reason
that | believe it is full of discrimina-
lions, especially against the producers
of the country.
Il must say for my own state that
it seems that they have placed upon
the free list almost every article we
produce in our state and have given us
very little benefit in other ways,
Before the arguments upon the bill
are closed, | desire to say just few
words relative to one particular in
dustry in our state that means much
to our people, The state of Idaho pro-
duces 80 per cent of all the lead that
is produced in the United States and
the world. This industry gives en-
plOyment to over 10000 men, and in
directly is of great benefit to at least
10000 of the people of our state. 1t is
an industry that necessarily will have
to be protected in order to survive,
This is admitted by our democratic
friends when they place a tariff duty
of threefourths of l cent per pound
upon lead ore.
while our democratic friends have
put upon the free list almost every
other product of our state they have
been good enough and generous enough
to allow us a duty of three quarters Of
cent a pound upon lead. The lead
industry of Idaho and the west can
not continue to prosper with a protec-
ton of three-quarters of one cent pei
pound.
THE state of Idaho today has 631
active mines that have been developed
beyond the preliminary prospect and
are being worked for the ore that they
produce.
Ninety per cent of these mines are
owned and operated by honest, indus
| rious western miners, who belong t.
no trust or combination, but are hon
estly developing the properties for the
Legitimate profit that may in the Future
De secured. These are the men and
these the products that need protec-
lion. / do not believe that q duty OF
three fourths of / cent per pound on
lead will give thom such protection as
will enable them to develop and oper-
ate their mines. | honestly believe il
this bill becomes law that within the
next two years rs per cent of the mines
lin my state, If not more, will close
down.
IF it had not been for the protec-
ton afforded by republican Legislation
to lead ores the great Occur dAlent
mining district in Idaho could never
have been successfully developed ant
have been enabled to furnish so larg,
a portion of the worlds supply in com.
petition with Mexico, Spain and othe
lead producing countries.
TT will be seen by the following
comparative statement of wages in thu
United States and Mexico just what
wide difference there is in the wage
paid in these two countries for tn
same class Of work.
Occur dAleneS,