The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-10-25
LEAD AND ZINC TARIFF MUST BE
MAINTAINED.

As If the sweeping reductions made
In the tariff on lead and zinc, both in
ores and commercial forms, by the
present democratic tariff law are not
sufficient to satisfy the free trade
element of the country, a scheme 10
being Matched In Spokane, with the
cooperation of British Columbia lead
and zinc producers, which has fdf it's
purpose the complete removal of the
tariff on those metals Resolutions to
this end have already been prepared
and 1t Is announced that they will be
presented for adoption at the meeting
or the Northwest Mining. association
In Spokane next Saturday, We have
no fault to find with those residents
of British Columbia who are hamper
ed with restricted market for their
endeavoring to secure wider field.
But we do most earnestly protest
against any expression from an assoc
citation that purports to represent the
mining interests of the northwest In
favor of the removal of the tariff
from those metals. That there Is a
strong sentiment in Spokane in favor
OF free trade in lead and zinc produc-
ed in British Columbia has long been
known, for 1t has found expression in
petitions to congress to that end 1t Is
founded on the well known spirit of
that community which seeks to feather
its own nest without regard to the eff
feet of its attitude upon the actual
producers in the United States.
The resolutions which will be pre-
sented to the mining association in
Spokane next Saturday ask congress
to- forthwith remove the import duties
upon lead and zinc metal and lead and
zine in ores that free market may
be established for the production from
Canada" Why not ask for a free mar
ket for the production from Mexico,
Spain and every other lead and zinc
producing country, as well as from
Canada? The unprecedented demand
caused by the war. described in the
resolutions, has been fully met from
allied sources, and today the market
for lead and zinc is inactive with sur
plus stocks on hand, particularly OF
speter. The price of lead has been
steadily declining during the past few
weeks and so far as the government
and its allies are concerned, the pro-
dpcers of lead are under contract to
furnish all that is required at an
agreed price. The over production of
spelter has already forced a number
of shelters to close because they could
not sell their product at profit, Who
then would be benefited by opening
the gates for the free importation of
lead and zinc from British Columbia +?
Spokane, because it enjoys a large
trade with the mining districts of !
British Columbia, and in order to get !
this benefit, Spokane is willing and /
anxious, If the proposed resolutions |
ire adopted, to bring the product of
he mines of British Columbia into !
ice competition with the product of
he mines of the United States, re-
yardless of the fact that the market
or both is depressed and American
PRODUCERS are cup in the air. as to
he future of both metals.
AS far as the Occur d'Alene district
concerned, a district in which SpQ-
ane delights to manifest such a faith
rly interest, little further reduction
l the price of lead will be followed by :
reduction of wages under the terms
the sliding scale The free impor-
ton of lead from British Columbia
ould have an immediate tendency to
wer the price, and hence to lower the u
ages of the Occur d'Alene miners .
# the wages of all the mines, whe- :"
Ter lead, zinc or "copper" and mines in =
he prospective stage as well, are bas-
on the price of lead =
~, tn
The Northwest Mining association,
nile processing to represent the min
~ industry Of the northwest, In fact ra
epresents little outside of SnokanA ne