The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-09-09
CHANCE MINING LAWS
HELP THE PROsPECTOR
PURPOSE OF MINING AND MET
ALLURcIcAL SOCIETY SOON
TO MEET.


and not discourage him, as is the case
at present, will be one Of the para
mount issues to come before a special
meeting of the Mining and Metallur-
gical Society Of America, which will
open in Washington, d. c., December
IL. Horace V. Wlnchell Is chairman
OF the committee on mining law of
the American Institute of Mining En-
gineers and the Mining and Metallur-
gical Society of America, and In con-
sequence, is greatly interested in the
present agitation for revision Of fed
eral mining laws He said:
I'VE are determined to bring this
matter before the national congress at
its next session In such a direct and
forceful manner that 1t will find 1t i'm
perative to heed our demands for new
and better laws.
Old Laws.
THE present laws under which the
claims are located were enacted In
1872, and since that time they have
been In force PARTIALLY unchanged.
These laws were well adapted, prob
ably, to conditions as they existed
then. but they come far short In meet
ing conditions as they exist today.
Mining men, generally, have condemn
there has been much agitation, but no
organized effort to obtain action by
congress which would change the laws
so as to encourage the prospector and
not discourage him.
i At the last session Of congress a bill
was introduced In the senate which
received the general appreciation of
mining men. This bill provided for
the appointment of commission of
three to investigate conditions in min
ing sections and to suggest amend
ments to the present laws: The pro-
posed act passed the senate with the
hearty approval of the committee on
mines and mining, Secretary of the
Interior Franklin X. Lane, the direc-
geological survey, and was recon-
mended for passage in the house of
representatives by the house commit
tee on mines and mining. Western
representatives, however, did not take
the interest In the measure which the
western senators did, and the bill died
without action.
! Revision Endorsed.
This movement for the amendment
Of mining legislation has the approval
of the various different organizations
of mining men throughout the United
States. The American Institute of
Mining Engineers, the Mining and
Metallurgical Society Of America and
the American Mining congress all have
important committees at work on the
subject. 1t is matter of really great
Importance, The last report of the
bureau of mines calls attention to the
relative Importance of mining and ag-
ricultural industries OF the country
and shows that although each laborer
in mine or smelter contributes an
leverage of $4,000 per annum to the
wealth of the nation, each agricul-
tural laborer contributes only $500 in
the same length of time. Although
the agricultural industry Is everlasting
and the mining industry is only tenn
porary, so to speak, congress appro-
PIRATES S5 times as much money for
the encouragement and development
of the agricultural industry as 1t does
for the mining industry
I'm the report It is also shown that
sc per cent of the freight business of
all railroads is In handling raw and
manufactured products of mines, and
that the standing of the United States
among other nations as a manufactur-
ing nation depends more largely upon
mineral products than upon any 9TH
err But in spite of this fact II Is sin
gularly difficult to legislate wisely in
the interest Of the mining communi-
ties.
Action in December.
"The pertinence of these remarks at
this time lies in the fact that there is
to be held in Washington, D. c., be-
December IS, a meeting of |
the Mining and Metallurgical Society |
of America, to which will be invited |
representatives and delegates from all |
western mining and commercial or
interested in the develop |
ment Of the resources of the respect
I've communities Of the west. II is
hoped that the meeting will be large
~ attended and that matters will be
brought through this organized effort
30 directly and forcefully to the at
.ention Of congress that II win result II
n the much needed revision.
1T is unnecessary to specify in
What particulars revision is required
BECAUSE every mining man and others
with the situation know
hat the law requiring discovery of
METAL In place before valid location
an be made Is not only absurd, but
perates to discourage the prospector
filming men generally condemn the