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Show WOULD HAVE GOVERNMENT AID MINER SAME AS FARMER I. C. Thoresen, United States Surveyor General for Utah, Discusses Marked Disadvantages Under Which Prospector Labors. THAT the farmer is given many advantages ad-vantages over the miner In securing se-curing surveys and patents -from the government; that is because the farmers made the land laws; that, considering the facts in the case, the miner is under natural disadvantages which he Is unable to overcome, and that the time has come when the miner should recelvo some consideration and be put upon an equal footing with the agriculturist, agri-culturist, aro opinions expressed by 1. C. Thoresen. United Slates surveyor gen-eral gen-eral for Utah. In discussing the case of the miner Mr. Thoresen says: Recently a miner asked me why the farmer was given so many advantages over the miner in securing surveys and patents from the government for liis land claims. Answering the question ques-tion himself, he said: "It is becauso fanners made the land laws." Taking into consideration the following fol-lowing facts, the indications certainly justify this miner in his conclusions. Upon' the application of the farmer the government surveys?, at Its own expense, the land he desires to secure se-cure and, under the homestead laws, it gives him practically free of cost 160 acres of land, his own choice, if he hut resides on it for three years; or, if he chooses, after residing on it for fourteen months, he can secure title by the payment of $1.25 per acre. In certain parts of the west he can get 320 acres by merely cultivating certain cer-tain portions of it annually for three years, without even making his residence resi-dence thereon. Or he can secure "20 acres for Si. 25 per acre by reclaiming it by artificial irrigation. The Great Difference. The miner, on the other hand, first prospects, perhaps for years, to find indications of mineral; he then stakes off his claim of twenty acres, makes and records his location notice, proceeds pro-ceeds to find "mineral In place" within his ground and in the not distant dis-tant past "in commercial quantities" quanti-ties" compiles with the local and general mining laws, rules and regulations; regu-lations; expends $500 in development work on his claim of twenty acres before be-fore he can be permitted to have his claim legally surveyed, at his own expense, which eos'H hfm upward of another $500. Pie pays the government govern-ment $5 per acre for his ground, and, if all of these requirements have been strictly complied with and so certified certi-fied by agents of the government, a patent is Issued to him for his claim. Tiiis makes his ground cost him in the neighborhood of $50 per acre, besides months and years of time required re-quired to comply with these various restrictions. If the farmer fails to raise a crop it is generally his own fault, either through ignorance or carelessness; but where one farmer fails there are ninety-nine miners wbo fall "to make their claim pay." Hence, the miner's chance to get returns from his labors and investments as against the farmer's farm-er's is 1 to 99. The Miner's One Crop. Then, again, the land the miner secures se-cures is generally worthless, except for "one crop" the mineral It may contain while the farmer's land Is good for a succession and variety of crops and often for other purposes. If the farmer falls In one, he may succeed in another; but not so with the miner. If he falls in finding mineral min-eral in commercial qualifies and quantities which, if at all, is in nearly every . case after extensive expenditures expendi-tures of time and money in prospecting prospect-ing and development, besides tha foregoing fore-going outlay of $luo0 for surveys, patents, pat-ents, etc. all his efforts are a total loss. R was formerly presumed that mining was very prori table a get-rich get-rich -quick proposition and that farming was slow and uncertain as to results, especially in the arid west. The Farmer's Advantages. But time a nd experience have i proved just the opposite. A farmer i with the same standard of knowledge and expc ric-nce in his line that an ! average miner has in his is sure to succeed. He gets some crop each year and hlsclaim improves continually continu-ally with every dollar expended and even' day's work. His living is certain, cer-tain, with much less capital invested invest-ed than the miner requires. He lives in peace with his family. But the poor miner gets no returns for years his efforts and expenditures often prove that there a re no re- ' turns at all from his claim. His j lonely life In the hills, as lie burrows 1 into the mountain through a small i prospector's tunnel, is not to be com- l pared with the pleasant life of the i ; farmer. Why this discrimination? Is it not ! a fact that our land laws were made by our eastern neighbors, who were acquainted onlv with agricultural pursuits and hacl but a slight knowledge knowl-edge of mining? Has not the time arrived that the miner should receive some consideration consid-eration and be put upon an equal ; footing with the agriculturists? Why ; not let his claim be surveyed by the government, velthotit expense to him, and give him title for SI. 25 per acre, the same as the farmer Is treated? ; The Expense Involved. Mining claims could often be surveyed sur-veyed by the United States survey-ores survey-ores in their regular work without much extra expense, and in such cases the miners would be accord ed the privilege whieh us always extended extend-ed to the farmer. Special surveys of homesteads are being made In forest reserves for the farmer or squatter, at the sole expense of the government: but the miner's claim is 1 "passed up." I The west Is now much better understood. It has many able representatives repre-sentatives in congress and in tho varlnus departments of the federal government, and I am certain that all will join in securing this great boon and "square deal" for the mineral min-eral development of our country. Our government expends vast sums in the aid of agriculture, in a thousand thou-sand different ways, which is very commendable; but a very limited j amount is appropriated for the de-I de-I velopment of the mineral resources of our country. The world is eagerly demanding our gold, silver and other minerals. We have them in unbounded quantities, quanti-ties, with plenty of men and means to bring them out, if only a lit tie encouragement be given by the government. gov-ernment. I Uet us give the miner a chance. |