The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-12-23
Claim Owners Have
Until July l to
Do Work
ACT MEETS APPROVAL
Mining Interests Oppose Sus-
pension---May Change
Assessment Year

r IMMEDIATELY following the pass
age of the resolution by the house
extending the time for doing as
sessment work six months, Con-
gresham Burton l.. French, realizing
that this was news of great import
ance to the mining interests of Idaho,
sent the Miner the following tele-
gram:
Washington, ID. c.. Dec. 20.-Editor
Miner Wallace. Idaho: Glad to advise
that act passed the house today and
awaits presidents signature extending
the time for the doing of annual as
assessment work on mining claims for
the current year to July 1 next year"
This telegram was posted as a bull
letin and was the first information re-
Ceived here that the resolution had
passed the house. 1t had already
passed the senate and there is no
doubt that it will be approved by the
president While the great majority
of claim owners have probably done
their work, it is known that many
have not and to these the message
came as a great measure of relief.
That there are great many, more
than is generally realized, who have
not performed their annual work is
further indicated by the number of
proofs of labor filed with the county
recorder The number of filings is far
below the usual number filed at a cor
responding period in other years II
wi gInf
to expend 5000 in labor and improve
ments on each unpatented claim next
year, though of course only half of
this sum will be required before the
first of July Most claim owners, how
ever will doubtless find it more eco
nomical and otherwise to their ad-
vantage to do the work for both 1920
and 1921 during the first half of the
year
No More Exemptions.
The extension of time was the best
solution of the assessment work ques-
ton this year. To have suspended
the law altogether at this late period
would have been unfair to those who
had performed the work Besides, so
far as sentiment has been determined.
il appears to be decidedly against it
in the mining states. While the do
ing of annual work on mining claims
in itself is not of great Importance
from the standpoint of development,
it does lead to doing much more work
than is required by law and for that
reason is a matter of first importance.
In addition to this the annual assess
ment alone in the aggregate gives en-
ployment to a large number of men
throughout the district and is the
means Of placing in circulation many
thousands of dollars both in the pay
nent of wages and in the purchase of
supplies. The suspension was neces-
saiy during the war when men were
needed in productive enterprises and
when the draft had drawn heavily
rom the ranks of labor and the year
the war there was an acute
shortage of labor which again made
he suspension necessary. But there
$ no valid reason now for further
and not likely to be
There is another reason against any
urther suspension of the annual as
ne the coming year the question of
evising the mining laws will be tax
n up in earnest. and it is known that
here is a considerable number among
hose who are pushing revision who
avor aboiishing annual assessment
York altogether Their plan is to re-
uire claim owners, in lieu of expend-
lg 500 a year on each claim in labor
nd improvements. to pay 500 cash
b the government annually on each
lain. this money to constitute a spe-
ial fund 10 be used in some specified
lanner for the furtherance of the
inning industry. To continue sus-
ending the law under one pretext or
mother tends to strengthen the posi-
on of those who would abolish the
Nv altogether. To adopt the plan
roposed would be a serious blow to
Re prosperity OF mining districts and
ould work a great hardship upon
and others who perform
ne annual labor on their own claims,
nd who would find it impossible to
aSe a cash payment.
May Change Assessment Year.
The passage Of the resolution ex-
nding the time six months in which
do the work this year has renewed
lie proposal that has heretofore been
lggested to make June 30 the end of