The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-01-18
OPINION DIVIDED ON REVISION
OF MINING LAWS.

VT WINlIN1 LFA WS'
For long time there has been
much talk in advocacy of revision of
the United States mining laws, and a
few months ago the Mining and Met
allurglcal Society of America took the
initiative in a movement to get the
matter in tangible shape for action by
congress In order to obtain an ex-
preston from the mining interests,
series of 33 questions covering all the
proposed changes have been submitted
to the various mining associations.
Most of the questions apply to mere
matters of detail upon which there is
probably no serious disagreement. The
three most important questions and
those around which will probably de-
velop uncompromising opinions have
to do with annual assessment work,
mineral discovery as an essential to
location of claims, and extralateral
rights
The proposition to allow a claim
owner the privilege of paying SIS or
$3.50 or any other amount in lieu of
performing labor for the development
Of the claims win not receive favor
able consideration by the men actually
engaged in mining. The performance
of annual assessment work is an i'm
portant step in the development of
the mineral resources, is an evidence
of good faith on the part of the claim
owners, and in the aggregate gives
employment to a large number of men
and thus directly contributes to the
prosperity of the district, The propo
sition to pay an equivalent or greater
sum to the federal government
through the land office would be an
imposition upon the mining states
which are already overburdened by
the federal conservation incubus.
The question of mineral discovery
as a prerequisite to location is one
that will disclose a difference of opin-
ion, but We believe that the great ma
jority of those engaged in mining will
favor change in the law abolishing
the discovery requirement The law
is already to a great extent a dead let
ter and it is probable that its repeal
would be in the interest of the min
ing industry Any prospector who is
willing to devote his time and energy
to finding mineral deposit should be
protected in his right to the ground
regardless of the showing he has
made in the way of mineral. The def
milton of mineral bearing rock in
pldec Is sui Il NeAeu queSllOH, anu we
believe the matter should be simpli-
fled by permitting the prospector to
go upon any public land classified as
mineral, stake his claim and hold the
ground so long as he complied with
specific requirements as to develop
ment work. The question of issuing
patent for claims without mineral dis
covery introduces new considerations.
Claims are patented under the pres
ent law upon which no valid discov-
cry has been made, and we believe 1t |
is right that they should be. This APP
plies generally to claims that possess |
no mineral value and are useful only |
in conjunction with the development
of other claims. The law should rec
ognize this feature, but 1t would hard
ly be safe to abolish mineral discov-
cry altogether in the matter of pat
ent.
But the big question around which
the revision discussion revolves is the
repeal of the apex law under which a
claim owner is permitted to follow his
vein on its dip beyond the sidellnes
IL his claim, commonly referred to as
sxtralateral rights. The Mining and
society reports that so I
ar the expression from the members /
i various mining organizations is r
Practically unanimous in favor Of re- d