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STRONG PLEA TO MAKE A
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT
OF THE BUREAU OF MINES.
J. H. Richards, the president of the American
mining congress, which opened at Portland, Ore.,
on August 18, urged the necessity of the govern­
ment raising the national bureau of mines to a
department. He said in part:
"The United States produces 37 per cent, of the
world's coal. Coal made England great. Coal
and our splendid waterfalls will make America
greater. The United States produces 39 per cent.
of the pig iron of the world. This of itself possesses
the element of national greatness. The
United States produces 51 per cent, of the copper
of the world. This, in its ability to direct the
currents of electric force, gives to the 'rock ribbed
earth a nervous system, and makes a whispering
gallery of the world.' America produces 30 per
cent, of the lead of the world, 57 per cent, of
the petroleum of the earth and 25 per cent, of the
zinc, and the mining industry of this country produces
annually over $1,000,000,000 in value and
52 per cent, of the tonnage of our transportation
lines.
This establishes its importance to the American
people. This justifies us in inquiring what
benefits a department would be in aid of this industry
that the people may reap the highest reward
possible from a so important source of sup­
ply.
"In the first place, why have a department
rather than a bureau? Because my conception of
the purpose of our government is to lay an industrial
foundation in this country broad enough to
sustain the possible development of the combined
material and intellectual possibilities of this most
favored land. This cannot be done by the red
tape of a bureau, but only by the grasp of America's
greatest statesmen, who alone are worthy of
standing at the head of so great an opportunity.
"This great responsibility should be presided
over by one possessing original authority, power
to originate through suggestion and execution.
He must not be limited to details, but to creation.
He should have authority not simply to go in
ruts as bureaus do, but to make a rut as large as a
river and let bureaus work on the tributaries.
The watershed of this river is the whole world
and the tributaries of it will reach into all lands
as well as into all conditions of American society.
"A department of mining would keep the executive
and legislative branches in close touch
with the wants of mining and allied industries,
that a proper foundation for legislation might be
made clear, because all legislation should be the
child of necessity—that is, the wants of the peo­
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 37
ple—and that the political department might
know the scope of national and international questions
relating thereto.
"A department would create a co-operative tendency
between the people and the government, not
in a paternal sense, but in the sense that the
government is but a business instrument through
which evils can be suppressed and good things
encouraged. The co-operation between the government
and the agricultural department illustrates
my idea.
"A department would aid in avoiding the great
waste now so appalling in mining, because it would
aid, as in agriculture, by wise legislation, scientific
information, the discouragement of illegitimate
promotion, the encouragement of legitimate
mining and giving reliable information to the
people of the real worth of mining to them.
"A department would aid in placing mining on a
scientific, rather than a speculative basis as now.
In other words, it would, as Cecil Rhodes said,
'make it the spinal column of certainty.' This
would more and more remove mining from
gambling and place under it enduring principles
of sound business.
"A department would not alone be of great
assistance to the prospectors, miners and reducers
of ores, but would aid in harmonizing mining and
allied industries by making scientific information
available to those who most need it for their
own protection, and through such legislation as
intelligent experience shows to be in the interests
of those who are not in a position to insist on
legislation in their interests and well being.
"Mining employs a large proportion of the
American people.
"A department would aid in placing mining on
a sound legal basis, a basis in harmony with the
highest development consistent with a just protection
of individual rights and in harmony with
all the varied branches of mining.
"A department would encourage legitimate mining
and the promotion of the same. All dishonesty
is not included in mining propositions
and management, but mining offers a great field
for such methods because of the great profits
possible. This is all the more reason wny every
safeguard within reason should be thrown around
such promotion and management.
"A department would discourage illegitimate
mining promotion and management. Would this
be in the interest of mining and the American
people? If so, then its importance is conceded
and our government should be so equipped that
its influence could be felt in this regard.
"A department would aid in harmonizing all
branches of mining and allied occupations. It