The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-09-12
SPOKANE MEETlNG;
MAkESHlFT REMEDIES
CONTINUED from Page u

present world war not enough gold
was being produced for Legitimate
uses in peace times, and with the
mountain of war burden now added,
to now merely continue quantity pro-
duction at what it was before the
war-spells certain, absolute, and
speedy destruction of gold standard,
Several temporary or makeshift
war time expedients for increasing
the production of gold have been pro-
posed by well meaning people, lie. by
bankers, lawyers, politicians. editors,
and college professors. (Spokane
was built and will be maintained,
banks and ALL with mining money.
Practically all the big buildings are
mining money. The Spokane bank
ers boast that they have always re-
fused, do now refuse, and will for
ever hereafter refuse, to lend money
on mining securities, yet these bank
ers are the first to stick their noses
in the air and howl like poisoned
pups when the miners do not pro-
duce enough gold)
Bonus Is Absurd.
BY far the most popular OF these
proposed temporary expedlents is
the one that provides that our govern
ment shall grant gold miners "bo-
nus" of about $40 per ounce on the
production of new gold,
This bonus proposition is perhaps
the widest and most absurd of all In
the first place, on the face of it, it is
bad business for any government to
give $3.50 for $100-and such fool
business could not be pursued for any
great length Of time. In the second
place II would be the rankest kind of
class legislation. In the third place,
as 1t would be perfectly manifest to
all that it could be only a temporary
expedient at best, no miners would,
on the strength of it, go to the large
necessary expense of opening mp and
equipping new gold mines; and
those who are now operating would
not go to any large expense to in
crease their facilities of production.
The extra new gold, if any. gotten by
a bonus law would not be appreci-
able in amount, in view of the stu
pendous amount needed.
Gold miners are not the men who |
,,,,.b ta ha,np,a enrry nhientS of gov |
eminent paternal charity.
Temporary Expedents.
But, manifestly, no temporary eN-
pedient or makeshift can produce the |
vast amount of gold required, when |
40 years of solid work by our gold |
miners have produced scarcely the
mere bagatelle OF two and half bill
lions all told.
1T takes much time and heavy eS-
pense to develop and equip gold
mines. Probably no new gold mine
Of consequence could commence de-
eelopment now and be equipped with
mill and in operation before this war
IL ended.
Even the inane drivel has been
earnestly advanced by some that a
squad of soldiers could dig the re-
luired gold in few days just as they
few spruce trees 70,
airplanes.
The same supplemented pinheads
advise our government to remit ex-
Tess profit taxes on gold mines clos
ing down because they can not be
operated except at ruinous loss.
Some no less afflicted with hemorr-
mage of prophetic wisdom suggest as .
/ panacea "The recognition of gold
mining as a war industry with spe- |
,ial privileges as to taxation, prior
ty in obtaining supplies, transporta- 4.
lion and labor" etc. This recognition
has been officially granted--but not /
i thing is doing on that account .
not a breath is stirring. /,
A whilom ineandescent mining lum- o
nary frantieally suggests the build l.
ng Of auto truck roads to gold min c
ng prospects, somewhere. to find the ~