The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1918-11-30

10 the hands OF those who don't want
the country developed; who are con-
tent TO wait until they need the iron
ore. Then they get II for a song and
all the while the state and peninsula
have been suffering because OF this
damper.
In the next place Michigan is being
made the object of plumber by the in
dustrial concerns of the east, who,
through their ownership OF the hnish-
ing end of the iron business deliber-
ately set inadequate prices for the
iron ore that this state produces SO
that taxes, royalties and wages In
the mining districts may be kept
down. Just consider the prices that
have been ruling for finished iron and
steel the past three years and then
contrast them with the prices that
have been ruling for iron ore. Com
pare the prices that ruled on ore and
finished products in 1913 with those
ruling upon the two commodities In
1918 and see where the profit-
eering comes in. II makes no differ
ence 10 the fellow who owns both the
mine and the mill where he takes his
profit; 1t all comes to him anyway.
II he can, through fixing an arbitrari-
ly low price on the product OF the
mine, keep labor and taxes down at
that end he will get so much more
at the mill and that is to his advan-
tage That's just what he is doing In
the iron game. The Stanley investi-
CATION showed lot OF II and no doubt
the federal trade commissions rec
ords will show It greatly emphasized
now.
The result OF this discrimination
has been to dampen the ardor OF
those who would develop the PENN
sula's resources, to the independent
operator. The arbitrary prices that
the big fellows have fixed on iron ore
makes 1t difficult for the iron min,
TO make any money. II also discrim-
mates against the wage OF the iron
miner How can the mining compan-
les pay more for the winning of
product that they can't get new dol
lar for an old one for? Labor must
oh
wage so that more profit may be made
at the mill whore the laborer is
getting a better wage. 1t also dis
eliminates against the fee owner To-
most OF the leases are on sliding
scale whereby the royalty is increased
with the price OF ore. The less the
ore sells for the less the producing
consuming company has to pay TO tho
fellow upon whose land the iron ore
is mined. Consequently that fellow
isn't anxious to show up mines on his
lands. He's content TO let his des-
cendents take the profits SO long as
he has what he needs.
Lastly 1t discriminates against the
state OF Michigan because the tax
commission Is welded to a theory
that works when 1t works and is
winked at when II doesn't work-thru
which the price OF ore In the ground
is fixed at the price received for ore
In the car less the expense of produc
ton. The less the paper price of the
ore Is at the shaft the less is the tax
payment. And, like the robber in the
desert who made all OF his victims M
his bed by stretching out the victim
who was too short or chopping off
the one too long. the commission
spreads this theory over all proper
ties making the supposed ore in drill
hole pay the same ratio that the ore
pays which has been hoisted and
realized upon. So. the fellow who
happens TO find mine and Is unable
to dispose Of It Is worse off than the
fellow who hasn't any mine at all, for
his tax burden Is so heavy that he
can't carry the property and he eth
or has to sacrifice by selling It al less
than Il Is worth or letting 1t go to the
state for taxes If he IS unfortunate
enough to have proved up deposit
upon some other fellows land he
must let the lease lapse and lose all
the expense Of finding the ore. When
the lease has lapsed the original own
er. If he has influence, goes TO the
commission and gets valuation slash
on the ground that the ore is so full
Of sulphur or some other ingredient
that ii is commercially OF no value.
sulphur covers multitude OF sins in
the fixing OF mining valuations.
SO. III Mr. Ford a. going % ,roxn.x