White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-16
STATE ALL UP IN ARMS
AGAINST MINING Law

Adverse sentiment TO the proposed
mining law appears to be crystailZlne
throughout Nevada ir Il manner that
will mean solid and united opposition
i'm this state TO the bill. Among the
civic organizations which are conduct
ing a campaign against the measure
is the Reno Chamber of Commerce.
At a meeting of thai body last Tues
| day evening fifty of the best known
| mining men in the western part OF
the state voted almost unanimously
a resolution dcnouncing the proposed
legislation in its entirety and de-
manded of congress that The bill do
not pass. Among the speakers of the
evening was Sam Bedford, prominent
attorney and a former resident of
Ely, where he IS still well remem-
bered and a frequent visitor on legal
business.
The mining committee o. the Reno
Chamner OF Commerce had prepared
a report on the bill. which had re-
iected practically every feature of the
proposed legislation excepting that it
favored the repeal OF the apex law
and the substitution OF the provisions
recommended in he bill. says the
Journal
Professor Jones ard Dr. Lincoln,
as members of the mining committee.
undertook TO defend the attitude of
the committee. but the sentiment
against the legislation was so strong
that only n clause of the report was
read or considered by the meeting.
Professor Jones held that the apex
Law had been the cause of n vast
amount of litigation. at great ex-
pense to the mining interests OF the
state. but others held that a repeal
Of the law would bring a worse condi-
tiCn.
z. l.. Richie held that the main
thing for the meeting TO consider was
the effect the legislation would have
on the mining industry. He said the
bill had been drafted by mining en-
gineers who represented foreign cor
porations, and he thought Ii would be
supported by practical mining men.
Carl Brady declared his belief that
the bill Ia crooked and in the interest
OF big corporations which are. in
large part. engaged in copper mining
in other states and which do not want
the great copper -outcroppings OF Ne
vada developed in competition with
their mines. He declared that the
idea of paving fees instead of deyel-
oping the mines was wholly against
the interests OF mining.
II. S. Anderson upheld the apex
law. declaring that Its repeal would
bar mining from all railroad lands in
The state. a strip OF country forty
miles wide crossing the state. lie
said II the bill passed there would
not be an acre Of land in Nevada to
be prospected in seven years.
Sam Bedford said the passage Of the
bill would put everything up in the
air and there would be a new era of
litigation He said the mining men
or the country now know the mining
law. and any tampering with ,eglsla-
ton would bring confusion and dis
aster
At this point John II. Dunn moved
that the meeting reject The bill in its
entirety and petition gre not 10
pass II. II was instantly seconded by
a half dozen men.
Professor Jones moved as an
amendment TO the motion that the
bill be rejected except for the repeal
OF the apex law. This brough nu-
merous protests to the effect that TO
take such action would be to repre-
sent to congress hat some amend
ment of the mining laws is desirable,
and the only wav to prevent congress
getting that impression was to stand
against all the provisions of the pro
posed law.
The amendment was defeated by a
large majority and the original reso-
luton then carried by an almost
unanimous vote.
DIR. Lynn OF the bureau of mines
explained that the bureau was In no
sense responsible for the bill, and DIR.
Balm had only spoken of 1t here on
request. The bureau has an open
mind on the bill. he said. and only
seeks to get such legislation as the
mining men want. and he would be
pleased at once to transmit TO DR..
Rain tho aotsor &I.-