The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-04-24
SHOULD SHUT OUT FOREIGN
LEAD AND ZINC.

The depressed condition that has
prevailed in the lead and zinc mining
industry since the armistice was sign
ed presents a situation which from
the standpoint of government policy
Is about the most absurd that can be
imagined When the fighting stopped
there were large stocks of lead and
zinc on hand held by the government
and private interests for which 1t was
expected that the war would provide
market Necessarily the sudden
termination of the war left these
stocks to be absorbed through the or
binary channels Of peaceful pursuits,
and as there could be no peaceful de-
mand near equal to the rate of pro-
Guction until reimbursement of bust
ness conditions on a peace basis, a
continuance of metal production
meant a steady and rapid increase of
the large surplus already on hand
The prices of both lead and zinc
quickly dropped to figures that in
most cases wiped out the margin of
profit, and to make the matter worse
there was practically no market even
at the reduced prices A general cur
tailment and suspension of production
followed. And that is the condition
today, for although there is evidence
of improvement in the metal demand,
the readjustment of business is
slow process and the metal producers
can not advance faster than the de-
mand for their product.
The most aggravating feature of
the situation is that while the Ameri-
can lead and zinc producers are heav-
lily handicapped by a surplus, our
benefcent tariff law permits a steady
stream of both metals to pour across
our borders, forcing a curtailment of
nF
reduction of wages of American min
ers. This situation was called to the
attention of congress months ago by
delegation of Joplin zinc producers
but it received little consideration at
the hands of democratic congress
and no relief was attempted. The
practical effect of the present tariff
on the metal situation is clearly evil
dent in the following figures compil-
ed from the records of the depart
ment of commerce. During the month
of January, and the same thing is go
ing on every month, imports of lead
in ore from Canada amounted to 49,
61S pounds and from Mexico 639,S17 |
pounds. Imports of lead bullion from |
Mexico during the same month were
9,67S,S91 pounds, making the total |
lead imported during the month TO- l
432,S26 pounds. During the same |
month the amount of zinc that came |
from Canada in ore was S94,752 |
pounds and from Mexico 1,OS4,319 |
pounds, making total of 1,929,071 |
pounds to help swell the surplus of
an already over stocked market
Because a few lead mines along the
border have been shipping their ore to
British Columbia smelters and some
lead bullion from this side has found
market in Canada, the mining in
terests of British Columbia have ap-
pealed to the dominion government
to stop the practice in order to pro-
tect the mining industry of British
Columbia. 1t is believed that the OF
tawa government will comply with
the request, making the importation
of metals into Canada permissible on
ly under a special license granted up
on a showing of actual necessity. Such
action would be perfectly right and
proper, for what is a government for {
If not to protect the interests of its
own people?
the republican congress do is to re- {
the republican congress to do is to re- ,
wise or rewrite the present iniquitous :
tariff law in line with the policy of f
the republican party to protect Amer Il
lean industries. We are still an in G
dependent sovereign nation and not G
merely one of the United States of f
the world. [