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Show Ore and Bullion Buying. Complaints aro frequently made by ore and bullion sellers that they c mnot obtain fair prices fur tho product pro-duct of their mines or smelters, as the case may bo. That is, the buyers will not pay anything near tho actual ac-tual value for ores and bullion, and the producers, who are obliged fo havo money to carry on their work, arc compelled to sell for a moioty of what they should receive. It appears ap-pears to us that this is a commercial difficulty which will speedily regulate regu-late itself, liko any other business where tho principle of supply and de- j mand is involved. The sellors sayi there is a mutual understanding, be-j tweeii buyers, a corubinntion, formed i to hear down tho prions of mineral I products. Whether this ia fact or not wo cannot say, nor is it our purpose to discuss the question at present. If parties combine to successfully carry on the business of buying $20 gold pieces for $15 currency each, under the laws of trade they have a perfect right to do so; or at least we know of no law to prevent them doing so. There are facts, however, connected with this question to which wo direct attention. de smelter in Utah sends to this city for sale a considerable ftmouut of bullion, which contains from 65 to 70 per cent, copper, besides about 70 ounces of silver and one and a fraction ounces of gold per ton of 2,000 pounds. The buyors pay a trifle more than one-half of the actual market value of the copper contained in the bullion, and take no account of tho gold and silver, which aggregates aggre-gates from $113 to $120 for every ton, and is dead loss to the sellers a very considerable item in the course of a year. The gold and silver are certainly worth something, and if any one is entitled to tho value it is the producer. If the ore buyers do not receive pay for tho precious metals, but are compelled to sell to the refiners re-finers on the eame copper basis upon which they purchased from the producers, pro-ducers, then it is time for the adoption adop-tion of some plan by which the immense im-mense profits can be withheld from the refiners and secured to the producer pro-ducer and the territory. The buyers here, even though in selling again the more precious metals are not taken into account; are well paid for their labor and time investment, and should it be that they get in addition to the copper, a price on the gold and silver, the profits which accrue to them must be immense. But wherever wher-ever this extra money finally settles, those most entitled to it are least likely to get it. These remarks are not only Applicable to the bullion above rei rred to but to all miied bullion produced in tho territory. Tho subject is one in which all mine owners and smelters are interested. inter-ested. It should be ventilated and the light let in. The columns of the Herald are open ior an intelligent , discussion of the matter. |