Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1921-12-23

The following article written by s. F. Hunt, a mining geologist of Salt Lake City, Utah, and published in a recent issue of the Mining Review of thae place, is one of the most interest ing of the many articles that have ap- peared in the technical journals on the subject. It covers many important matters of general interest, wherefore we are giving it in full:
 "The passing of the prospector, the licensing of mining engineers, and the Bureau of Mines proposed new min ing act, have been discussed pro and con with warm interest of late in most of the mining publications. For clari- ty of presentation and regard to de- tails, there are three subjects that have been treated separately. Yet, in truth, they are closely interlpcking questions in which the failure of one is the affair of all. It is plain that these three factors involved in the production of the useful metals should cooperate and balance to be effective and of service to the state.
 The prospector has been compelled to abandon his chosen work for lack of support. The engineer sees his number increasing and the number of mines decreasing, thereby dividing his chances of success. And all those in terested in metal mining have realized for some years that the discordant tumble of mining laws now in force are anticipated and should be replaced by more intelligent and equitable leg islation. The Bureau of Mines, there fore, deserves due credit for finally getting a bill introduced in the 67th Congress and up before the miners for discussion.
 As matters stand the prospector has ceased to be recognized factor in mining. In the form and manner in which it has been advocated the en- gineer's demand for license has been voted down by the members of his profession; and the new mining bill has met with more criticism than support.
 This state of affairs suggests mess and mix-up that cannot be harmonized or handled along conven- tional lines; and it will not be at- tempted. To begin with, precedent will be thrown to the winds; and only fundamental principles of right and wrong conceptions will be accepted as tenets and guides, lead where they may. So, to analyze and set forth, tentatively, unified plan of cure in each case is the scope and purpose of this discussion.
 The Prospector
 Search for the precious metals has ever appealed to the strong and in trepid. There is a zest and fascina- tion that belongs to prospecting and mining the precious metals that at taches to no other occupation. The prospector was, until of late, a pie turesque and admired pioneer among us. His adventurous spirit and sturdy energy has played it's part in the rapid growth and winning of the West. Why at this time his decimat- ed numbers should become objects of disdain and neglect is not plain on the grounds of usefulness and past per formance. Why should these brave, unsophisticated volunteers, doing sen try duty on the outposts of society, be summed by all except the bucolic nomad of the desert who swings his arm and shouts Ego way round 'em, shep."
 There are causes, most of which are extraneous and have nothing what ever to do with mining, but which are traceable to other social inequities and, mainly, to the faults and offens- es of sub-normal individuals who ape every line of legitimate industry for fraudulent gain. These are the, al- luvial anthropoids at which all ceru- lean legislation is aimed, but which has missed its mark and mutilated the miner, since he is the most innocent and least able to shield his vocation from interruptions design, or the freak doings of unhappy osteocephs. i
 That the ubiquitous, frenzied and Ponzied fraternity of Wallingfords, charlatans and mountebanks have taken their turn at fake mining-as they are now at fake mining securities and exchange schemes-is not denied; | but these invasions should not remain as a fixed blackmail upon the legiti-