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Show UTAH MINERS JOf IN RflOIiCE MACKENZIE TELLS I. C. C. THAT COMMITTEE ACT WOULD HAMPER WORK Mining Interests And Agricultural Interests In-terests of West Alllgned In Opposing Op-posing Rate Increase of Five Percent Kansas City, Mo. Salt Lake City's secretary of the Utah chapter of the American Mining congress, presented testimony before the interstate commerce com-merce hearing on the proposed rate hike here designed to show that mining min-ing interests are in no shape to pay additional freight charges. . Mr. Mackenzie, who is personally interested in copper holdings, declared declar-ed successful metal mines are comparatively com-paratively few in the United States. Of 292 metal mines in Utah, he declared, de-clared, only eleven operated with profit prof-it in 1924. Prices of metal not including iron produced in Utah, have increased about 20 per cent over the price levels lev-els of 1923, he said, but the cost of production has increased 65 per cent. The mining industry, the witness declared, de-clared, was in sharp competition with foreign metals, which could be produced pro-duced more cheaply. From 25 to 30 per cent of the copper mines in the United States were suspended, the witness added, because the domestic market is glutted with foreign copper. Mr. Mackenzie said the silver price was fixed by four firms in London recognized by the British government. The price of this metal, he said, is not sufficient to warrant exclusive mining, and silver is mined only as It is found with other metals. A price adjustment, he continued, can be effected only through suspension of mining. Almost all items in metal mining, "Mr. Mackenzie said, are as high as they wre in the war period, including labor costs. |