The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-02-17
cEOL oGICAL SURVEY AND THE
LEASING SYSTEM.

GENSsiNS
ON another page of this issue or
The Miner IL an arraignment of the
interior department in which 1t is al
legged that the geological survey Is
being used In furtherance of the
scheme of the radical conservationists
to bring all the mineral lands OF the
west under the leasing system. Or
perhaps more correctly stated, the
work of the survey is largely devoted
TO the classification of government
lands for the enlightenment Of the
conservationists, rather than to the in
vestigation, determination and publi-
cation of their geological Characters
tics for the benefit of the prospector
and miner and those who desire to de-
velop the mineral resources OF the
west. The castigation is from the pen
of Chester T, KEENAN,, geologist and
mining engineer of Colorado, who has
been sojourning at Murray for several
weeks The charges against the bur-
eau chiefs and heads of departments
at Washington are of most serious
character, and If true and the condi-
ton remains unchanged, Mr.. Remnants
proposal to abolish and reorganize the
survey is we'll founded.
The United States geological survey
has served a most useful purpose to
the mining industry, and its research
work has led to the development of
vast mineral resources which have en-
rlched the nation and which without
the aid of the survey would have re-
NAMED unknown for years and posi-
bly, forever. To attempt to enumerate
the many ways in which the survey
assists the mining industry would be
futile, for under the efficient leader
ship that has generally obtained in the
past and the loyal and capable per-
sonnet that has ever characterized It,
each year has witnessed an advance
ment in carrying out the purposes for
which the geological survey was Gre
ated If this purpose is now being
neglected, through the influence Of
ultra -conservationists and political
place hunters both within and outside
the interior and agricultural depart
ments, and there Is evidence that 1t is,
then 1t is time that congress should
investigate and see that the work of
this great and most useful organiza-
tlon is confined to proper channels.
The situation is one that should
arouse the people of the west to Wig
orous action against the iniquitous
leasing system which is about to rob
them Of their birthright, and to ac-
complsh which the bureau of mines
seems to be cooperating through the
geological survey. If the government
can withdraw from entry and lease
COAL oil, phosphate and other lands,
the same law to all mineral bearing
land. Then will the government be-
come a personal landlord represented
by some bureau chief who holds his
position as a reward for political SER
vice, with horde of subalterns in the
field to harrass and handicap legitim-
ate enterprise under the guise Of con-
serving natural resources. The states
Of the west are entitled to the full
benefit Of the resources within their
borders, and the enjoyment of this
right was specifically guaranteed by
the acts Of congress admitting them
into the union All other states have
exercised this right, and the mountain
states of the west should resist to the
utmost this attempt to rob them OF it,
AIGA WAHES AND AOcpIrAI rAN