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Show IIEIOLM ins Ffflj friends: m i Interest in Hawley Measure to Exempt 1919 Assess-ment Assess-ment Work Lacking. Letters received by A. G. Mackenzie, secretary of the Utah chapter of the American Mining" congress, from United States Senator Smoot, Congressman Welling and Congressman Mays agree that there is no chance for the passage at this session of Congressman Hav.iey's resolution to remove the five-claim limitation lim-itation from the resolution suspending annual assessment work on mining claims for the year 3919. This means that resolution 150, which authorizes suspension sus-pension of work on five claims only for each claimant, will stand as originally enacted, subject to the interpretation placed on it by the interior department in a recent communication to Senator Smoot. This interpretation of the inferior in-ferior department rules that if an andi-vidual, andi-vidual, either directly or as a member of an association or of a corporation, claims exemption from tho performance of assessment work upon five claims, in which he holds an interest, no matter how small the interest, he shall be barred from claiming exemption from assessment assess-ment work upon any other claims lie may own in full or in part. In the letter received by Mr. Mackenzie, yesterday. Senator Smoot says: "From an investigation that I have made, not only with the members of the house, but with the officials of the land office, I am sure that it will be impossible impos-sible to pass a bill through congress to remove the exemption of annual work of more than five claims, as the present law provides. If there were a chance of i passing such legi skit ion I would gladly j undertake it, but I am positive that it j will be useless to do so." ! In a letter also received yesterday, ; Congressman Mays says: "I have conferred with the chairman of the committee on mines and minintr. He tells me that, after canvassing the situation among the members of the committee, he tinds that it is not at all probable that favorable consideration will be given bv his committee to II. J. H. 1S3. He also states that he has talked with various members of the house on both sides of the chamber, and finds so much opposition to the removal of the limitation carried in H. J. R. 15') that he fels sure the Hawley resolut ion. to which you refer, could not bo pawl in the house, evtn though the committee should be in favor of the same. "I f'-el that it is important, therefore, that tho people holding such claims should know that th y can depend on no further relief than that carrieil m H. J. R. 150, in order t hat they may perf-Tin the necessary work to hold tln-:r chums. " Congressman Welling, who is a member mem-ber of the commit tee on mines and mining of the house, hart previously Ai-vised Ai-vised tho Utah chapter that in his judgment judg-ment it was impossible to obtain any amendment at this se.-sion The matt-T also w;i.s taken up with Senator King's office by the hapten but doubtless on account of the .-t.;ii"r's lil- i n'.-s and absence fpm Wa.-h.n: tuti no j expression from him has been received. |