Show S fAVORS A MINING BUREAU There Is throughout a growing feeling the country that the mining industry which has long be beer been neglected b by the federal fed ed oral eral government o will wi soon obtain the recognition recognition rec rec- which It deserves With Wills Ith each succeeding year the sentiment sentiment sentiment-Is is growing among the members of ot congress that tha a n bureau of ot mines is an absolute necessity New bills bils providing for the creation of ofa ofa ofa a bureau have been introduced In both houses and while no action is expected until the next regular session It Is believed be be- they will wI then carry caro and nfl the members of the American mining congress congress con con- gress with will doubtless O IS have v just cause to feel Jubilant over their h tw twelve w elve years yearn of persistent effort to get a bureau In a recent speech before the house of representatives lion Hon lon George C. C Sturgiss glss giss of ot West Virginia showed hl his appreciation appreciation ap ap- ap- ap of the situation In iii a spirited ad address s. s Mr lr Sturgiss said Ve ar are appropriating p I i 11 large rge sums of money for tor creating and caring carini for forest for tor- est eat r reserves e for irrigation t and reclamation lion tion tn of arid lands S for extension e nr of mall service for fish hatcheries for building battleships and supporting the army and navy nav for tor fortifications to support the thc diplomatic and consular service for or agricultural colleges and for tor promoting the prosperity of our farmers all necessary necessary sar sary and proper purposes for the exercise exer exer- rise cise of ot government activity Congresses and conventions to conserve our great natural resources in forests mines mine soils lols I water and many other things are Important important tant no doubt but but Is it not hl high h time to todo todo todo I I do something to conserve the thE richest asset the nation naton possesses the men vrho whose e lives are more valuable than all material re resources resources rf re- sources and asso assets ts They ar are the creators creators cre cre- I of ot all al wealth Machinery ry labor laborsaving laborsaving sa ln saving devices kes and Intellectual power can never dispense with wih manual labor in some lome form torm which must supplant and keep kep in motion moton these artificial aids to huma human hu hu- ma man n labor These expenditures Just enumerated I do not have ha for their object the saving of ot human life hut but only the development of the material and physical resources of I the country Death Rate Bate Growing It I Is foll folly to say that much of the fearful slaughter In mines minIs could not have ha e been prevented Tt It T is a reflection are upon tho the Intelligence and capacity and I humanity of the people of ot the United States tes that the proportion of deaths and injuries In our mines to each 1000 men employed underground t Is much greater than a In the deeper mines of England or of France eB Belgium f or Prussia U and J It t Is I the saddest part of the whole hole history of mining in this country countr that the the- percentage percent percent- age of deaths and Injuries is steadily In In- In creasing We Ve employ in the mines minIs and quarries I of ot this country over o persons and th the percentage of deaths is annually greater greatel than amon among railway employees In the last eighteen en years over lve lives have been sacrificed in the mines of this cou country Three principal measures have been proposed each of which h should be enacted enact enact- a ed or into t law and do doli all li are hp p plainly r within I h the scope of ot federal power 1 1 The creation of ot a bureau of or mines ir hY the department of the Interior Many Inny hearings have been held by the senate and house committees on this subject and anda a mass of evidence taken showing the life necessity ne of ot such suh a bureau In this opinion miners mine owners and experts all al concur 2 The establishment nt In each fach state of ot schools of mines and mining engineer In ing in which should be taught a scientific title and practical knowledge of ot all al that pertains to mining operations operation with a study of ot the conditions peculiar to the mines of the state In which the school of ot mines vand and nd mining engineering is lo located lo 10 and with an exchange of ot bulletins and reports of all al research and Investigation gallon gation gaton work done donE In each Each year These ThEse schools should furnish skilled skied miners fire bosses bossell engineers f and superintendents with a knowledge knowledgE up to date ate as a to ex explosives ex- ex I plosives gases safety devices devies ventilation lion tion and nil all al that tends to economy and conservation of ot products safety and sanitary san san- iary conditions as related to employees and rescue workS work S 5 The investigations as to the causes of ot mine explosions with wih a view to increasing safety in mining This is the only one of the three measures for promoting a greater geater knowledge ledge and anti safety safety safety safe safe- ty In mining operations that has yet et received le- le congressional action acton and It Is but buta a beggarly concession to the demands of ot the public the miner the mine owner The subject Is too large too diverse the difficulties too great and the want of ot exact knowledge such that no miners' miners organization organization or or- no mine owner and no Individual Individual Indi Indi- vidual or group of ot Individuals can successfully suc sue grapple with It and solve the difficulties Hence the necessity of government government government gov gov- gov- gov aid ald |