The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-14
CONSERVATION
AND SAFETY MINE.
MEETING TOPICS
The Last Word on Both
Subjects to be Heard
at Chicago.
lRv AssocIotod pr.ss,


CHICAGO, Nov. IA Mine owners
and officials, government experts in
mining and commercial problems and
delegates appointed by commercial as
sociations and governors OF many
states are here to attend the nineteenth
annual session Of The American Mining
Congress. The convention will last
through Thursday and the program
calls for both general and sectional
meetings.
Every phase Of the mining industry
will be discussed but particular atten.
tion Is to be paid this year to federal
laws as related TO mining rights on
public lands. TO safety measures and to
labor and marketing problems.
A banquet will close the convention
Thursday evening and at 1t addresses
are to be delivered by Carl Scholz. Chi.
cago. and Col. George Pope. Hartford.
Conn. The former will discuss "Co.
operation. tine Basis OF Safety. Eff
cheney and Conservation in the Use o.
the Nations Mineral Resources" Col.
Pope's topic calls for comprehensive
survey Of the relations OF capital and
labor.
a paper favoring remedial national
legislation In connection with hard.
ships entailed on western mining men
by the withdrawal from entry of moro
than three million acres in California
and Wyoming in September, 1909. was
read this afternoon by Ray y. Bishop.
President OF the Oil City Industry AS.
sociation of California.
"A divided supreme court" said Mr..
Bishops. declared illegal the with.
drawal. authorized by the act of Con.
gress February 1907. and he said this
came as blow to many men who had
placed their entire financial resources
10 the western mining fields. They
were under the assumption that, al.
though 1t was early realized that the
law passed in 1897 could not properly
be applied to the prospecting and de.
velopmerts Of petroleum lands, the
government would do no wilful injus.
tice In cases where actual prospecting
was In progress.
Ever since the withdrawal" said
the speaker. conditions in the oil
fields Of California have been chaotic.
No new work is being done. great loss
es are being suffered and bankruptcy
faces many who but few years be-
fore went upon the government land
in the best OF faith.
What Is going to be done for these
men? What relief should Congress
give them In the oil leasing bill now
pending in the Senate? Secretary
Lane in his report for 1915 says Con.
gress should prevent an unnecessary
injustice to these who have invested
many millions Of dollars under the
mistake as to the law. The House has
recognized these equities. Tho Sen
ate public lands committee favors a
like provision. Now comes opposition
to the relief provisions Of the bill from
the ultra conservationists. based on
the cry OF wilful trespassers and loot.
ers OF the public domain. The federal
judges have dealth with this asser.
ton. Judge Bean in the case OF the
United States versus the Midway Nor
thern Oil Company said: THE defend
.ers were not wilful trespassers. hut
relief upon the law and were honest
In their belief that they were within
their rights" Judge Bledsoe'ss decis.
ion In the case against G. w. McCut-
cheon was Just as emphatic"
The report Of lie committee on re-
lations with the Federal Trade Com
mission vii! be made at the Wedncs.
day morning session by Charles II.
Modcrwell. Of Chicago, and federal aid
the mining industry will be dealt J