Show fig ahting ting the smelter trust montana mine owners are now preparing to fight t the smelter trust and a strong association has been formed for the purpose of encouraging the construction of independent smelters shelters sm elters in that state A special from helena tells of the progress that is being made in this direction as follows the mining men from all over montana are full of enthusiasm as a result of the magnificent convention held here yesterday at which the diversified mining interests of the treasure state were more universally represented than at any meeting ever held in montana the smelter trust must back up and fix rates for smelting smelling sm elting and treating ores at reasonable figures as viewed by the mining men or the trust will find that there is is no business for its plant in this territory the various committees appointed by the mining men yesterday are going about the tasks allotted to them with a vim and dash which proves in advance that montana will soon be free from the shackles which the american smelter trust tried to fasten on her capital interested the smelter trust must make reasonable rates for our ores or we will quickly interest sufficient capital to build a sr smelter helter which will give better returns at reasonable prices than ever could have been done by the east helena trust smelter said R A bell a well known local mining man who represented the east pacific mines at winston in the convention yesterday the men who attended the meeting yesterday are ready to close a contract with capitalists for a term of years continued mr bell and our proposition will be so attractive that no sane men with capital would refuse it the smelter trust it if it is allowed to continue its present system of oppression will either cluse close up all the properties in the state or soon have a fee title to them all next month the mining men under the name ile of the montana mine owners association will hold another meeting here and the reports of the committees which are now out will bo yead read the future course of the association will be dictated by the tone of these reports money pledged so sanguine are the mining men of suc e ngin ng in their enterprise to erect an in dependent epen dent smelter in this state that after the e fating feting yesterday twelve of the lead 1119 operators of the state agreed to raise tl I 1 for a smelter and M L hewitt chai n of the temporary organization betat stated ed that I 1 he r of could secure ce the subscription another for the new smelter ehrk a a week ek and that by february 17 when the next meeting is set a million and a half will be subscribed for the new smelter the enthusiasm and unanimity of purpose of the mining interests of the state can only be fully realized when it is stated that mining men signed the rolls of the or and deposited 25 as membership dues the officials elected and those appointed to the arduous tasks on the committees assure the mining interests of the most careful attention and consideration of the problems confronting the industry the officials and those appointed on the committees follow officers and committees president M L hewitt basin secretary F B linderman helena treasurer H A bell helena executive committee W G conrad great falls W A dark clark H L frank butte B D phillips helena A E spriggs townsend membership committee broadwater C S flathead fred whiteside teton carlos warfield ld chouteau matt dyer valley A W mahon ravalli fay humble dawson george macone ouster custer pierre wibaux rosebud willis todd carbon S W gebo park david noble gallatin 0 P chisholm madison W C morris beaverhead G B conway missoula H T wilkinson sanders henry edgar silver bow bov john berkin lewis and dark clark J henry Long longmaid mald jefferson J M vivian fergus H H lang powell W I 1 higgins granite dr P S sweet grass chas mcdonnell McDon neU deer lodge W R allen alien cascade dr armington yellowstone J D losekamp meagher J anderson investigating committee committees to conduct investigations according to resolutions are no I 1 smelting smelling Sm elting rates W F parker N H gramling senator rae E H C R stranahan no 2 transportation charges on custom orders C S J E fitzpatrick F H cooney martin charles whitcomb no 3 mineral entries within forests owen byrnes C F fleming matt dunn T C kelly no io 4 fraudulent mineral classification L grant J A rowand F L sizer al ray ran C W helmick john berkin three other committees are to be appointed later one to ascertain the cost of smelter one to independent erecting an solicit subscriptions for its construction devise and suggest remedial and a third to legislation to have inserted if possible in every county platform in the state and later in the tate state platforms of both political parties the resolutions unanimous unanimously le adopted at the meeting which shows the necessity for the organization and the work to be accomplished complis hed follow the resolutions the resolutions which were unanimously adopted are as follows we your committee on resolutions beg leave to report as follows whereas Where ws it has been demonstrated that the conditions affecting the reduction of ore on the part of custom smelters shelters sm elters are needlessly and unfairly restrictive and apparently the absolute control of the production treatment and marketing of the precious metal production of the mines of america and it has been further shown through our investigations that profits on the business of smelting smelling sm elting ores are enormously great and further that the risks in connection with this business are abnormally low as compared with the risks of the ore product that the increasing intolerance of these conditions has already forced some and will ultimately force many other ore producers to close their mines now therefore be it to advise action resolved in order to protect against the danger of ultimate control ot of the smelter trust and in order to secure for the miner a fair price for the product of his mines that a committee of five be named by this convention and committee to report at the adjourned meeting of the body such recommendations for relief as may be in their judgment advisable in the premises transportation whereas the basis of charges for transportation of custom ore by transportation companies upon valuation seems to be unfair in its effect upon ore shippers it appearing that the additional charges for high grade ore are made to cover cost ot extra risk in transit and that such extra charges are greatly in excess of the cost ot of such insurance therefore be it resolved that a committee of five be appointed to investigate such charges and report at the adjourned meeting of this body on forest reserves whereas much injustice has been done to indi individual vidual entry men of mining claims upon the forest reserves by the decision ot of incompetent rangers wholly unqualified to pass upon the mineral character of such locations by lack of knowledge of the questions involved therefore be it Rab resolved solved that a committee of five be appointed to investigate and report at the adjourned meeting of this body such recommendations ions for relief as in their judgment may be advisable N P grant whereas it has been demonstrated that grave injustice has been done to the mining interests and to the people of the state of montana by the improper and fraudulent classification of mineral lands embraced in the grant to the northern pacific railway company therefore be it resolved that a committee of five be appointed to investigate the classification of mineral lands of the state of montana under said land grant said committee to report at the adjourned meeting of this body such recommendation for relief from such improper and fraudulent classifications as may be considered desirable or necessary |