It is exceedingly probable that all of the lead imported in ores from Mexico and now smelted in bond here and reexported would be allowed to remain in this country. In that case the increase in the amount of lead imported would exceed 50,000 tons per annum; and the amount of money sent out of the country would be not less than $3,000,000, which would be a total loss to our people. During the year 1907 the State of Idaho produced 111,697 tons of pig lead, practically all of it coming from the Coeur d'Alene district. With this lead there was produced approximately 5,584,850 ounces of silver, and the combined value of the lead and silver amounted to $15,555,315. This large sum was distributed about as follows: Forty-seven per cent, or $7,310,998, was the cost of production at the mines, $4,825,260 being paid for labor, and $2,485,738 was paid for machinery, supplies, fuel, etc., drawn from almost every State in the Union. Thirty-three per cent, or $5,133,254, was paid for transportation and smelting. Twenty per cent, or $3,111,063, represents the margin left to the owners of the mines, for interest on their investment, redemption of capital, and further expenditures on capital account. Of the $4,825,260 paid to labor the greater part was expended by the wage-earners for the necessaries and luxuries of life and for the acquisition and maintenance of their homes; for their foodstuffs from the agricultural States from the Mississippi River to the Pacific coast, and for clothing, furniture, and scores of other manufatcured articles from the manufacturing States east of the Mississippi. Similarly the $5,133,254 paid for transportation and smelting of the ores, was, for the most part, distributed by the railway and smelting companies as wages to their employees, who in turn expended it for food, clothing, and other necessary supplies. In fact the whole gross value of the ore went, directly or indirectly, to labor. The total lead output of the country, with its accompanying silver, has an annual value of approximately $40,000,000, which vast sum represents the wages of about 50,000 men employed in and about the mines and smelters, and on the railways engaged in transporting the ores, and the bullion produced therefrom. The value of the gold and silver ores which are smelted on the lead basis probably amounts to as much more, and pays the wages of probably another 50,000 men. To reduce the duty on lead would mean to stop most of this mining; stop the creation of millions of new wealth from the country's natural resources; and throw out of work 100,000 men, forcing them to seek employment in other fields, already fully occupied. And all for the benefit of the foreign lead producers; for the American consumer of manufactured lead products, white lead, sheet, shot, and pipe, will not find the prices of these articles appreciably lowered. If reference be made to the table attached hereto, showing the prices of pig lead and dry white lead for the years 1895 to 1907, inclusive, it will be seen that there is not a direct relation between the two prices. Taking the period of ten years, 1898 to 1907, during which the present tariff has been in existence, and comparing it with the period of three years, 1895 to 1897, during which the tariff was only one-half of the present tariff, we find the prices averaged as follows: Showing that although in the earlier period the price of pig lead was 1.264 cents per pound lower than in the later period the price of white lead was only 0.542 cent lower. In the fall of 1907 the price of pig lead fell 2 cents per pound, but the price of white lead fell only three-fourths cent per pound. There has been forwarded to us for presentation to your honorable committee a petition for the retention of the present duty on lead signed by 2,372 citizens of the Coeur d'Alene district. The signatures are those of merchants and professional men, as well as miners and others immediately dependent on the operation of the lead mines, who desire that the present conditions be permitted to continue unchanged. We submit this petition herewith, confident that it will receive due consideration. Attached hereto will be found tables showing the domestic production of pig lead; importations of pig lead; importations of lead in ore and furnace products to be smelted and refined in bond; the exportations of pig lead; balance of imported lead remaining in this country; world's production of pig lead; annual prices of pig lead at New York and London; wages paid in the Coeur d'Alene district; production of lead in Idaho; prices of pig lead and dry white lead. We hope to be able to file a supplemental showing a little later, when some data are received from Idaho, of further facts bearing upon this subject. Respectfully submitted. FREDERICK BURBIDGE, Representing Idaho Lead Producers and Miners. WASHINGTON, D. C., December 15, 1908. EXHIBIT A. THE HONORABLE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, Washington, D. C. SIRS: We, the subscribed citizens of the Coeur d'Alene mining district, Idaho, being merchants, miners, and laborers, respectfully present for the careful consideration of your honorable body the following facts, together with the earnest request that the present import duty on lead in ores and lead bullion be not decreased. A reduction in the present duty would necessitate the readjustment of the present satisfactory economic conditions in our country and the whole western mining field. (a) There are approximately 5,000 men employed in and around the lead mines of Idaho, at an average wage of $3.65 for eight hours' work. As much of the lead ore now produced yields but a narrow margin of profit, the removal or reduction of the present import duty would directly necessitate a large reduction in the above force of men, or in a reduction of the rate of wages paid, to meet the competition of the Mexican mines, which are the most available source of foreign lead ores and which are operated by labor paid 85 cents to $1 per day. (b) The entire mining industry of the Rocky Mountain region of the United States is dependent upon cheap and easily attained smelter facilities for the marketing and reduction of the ores produced. The smelting industry and the economic recovery of the values from the siliceous ores of Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, and Montana are dependent upon a regular and generous supply of lead ores, particularly the argentiferous lead ores from Idaho. Lead ore is the essential basis of smelting operations, and the siliceous ores of the Rocky Mountain regions depends largely for a supply of lead ores from Idaho, and particularly from the Coeur d'Alene district. (c) The United States Geological Survey report shows the following yearly yield as the product of the United States, in tons of 2,000 pounds, of refined lead: Tons of 2,000 pounds. The high prices of 1906 and 1907 were able to bring out an increase of less than 15 per cent over the preceding years, and the lower prices for 1908 have already resulted in a large decline of the production. No domestic lead is exported, and domestic stock rarely exceeds 30,000 tons, which is about one month's supply. (d) The Coeur d'Alene district during 1905, 1906, and 1907 yielded 32 per cent of the total lead production of the United States. A large portion of this came from ores of such grade that small profits was won, and at lower prices this profit would disappear. During the winter of 1907-8, when the lead quotations fell below $4 per hundred pounds, all mines in this district closed, and remained closed, excepting two, until lead quotations again rose above $4 per hundred pounds. Without ample tariff protection the discovery and development of new lead-producing fields in the United States will cease and the prospecting of older fields for new mines will languish. Respectfully submitted by A. S. McKenzie and 2,371 others. EXHIBIT B. The following tables show First. The domestic production of pig lead. Second. The importations of pig lead. Third. The importations of lead in ore and furnace products to be smelted and refined in bond. Fourth. The exportations of pig lead. Fifth. Balances of imported lead remaining in the country on which duty was paid for the years 1900 to 1907, each inclusive. Sixth. World's production of pig lead. Seventh. Annual price of pig lead for ten years at New York and London. Eighth. Wages paid in Coeur d'Alene district, Idaho. Tenth. Prices of pig lead and dry white lead. Approximately one-third of the domestic production of lead comes from Idaho, one-third from the Mississippi Valley, and one-third from Colorado, Utah, and other Western States. (3) The importations of lead in ore and furnace products to be smelted and (5) Balance of imported lead remaining in the country on which duty was paid for the years 1900 to 1907, each inclusive. 1900 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904 1905. 1906. 1907. (6) World's production of pig lead. [Metric tons.] Tons of 2,000 pounds. 14..109 12, 405 25, 487 24.436 28, 710 38, 637 36, 800 28, 313 Producing country. 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 19,300 15,700 16,400 24,500 20,500 23,800 Austria-Hungary 10,700 10,700 11,900 18.700 18,300 16,700 14,400 9,900 28,600 67,000 87,600 87,100 61,100 77,300 80,000 231,000 210,000 269,000 273,000 267,500 303,000 296,000 312,500 334,800 6,700 8,700 9,300 6,400 6,600 11,000 13,700 13,800 18,800 26,200 179,900 162,900 154,500 149,500 172,500 164,300 177,800 180,700 180,900 78,600 94,100 Other countries... Total. Percentage produced by United States... 826,900 809,700 871,300 867,700 891,100 895,400 964,100 983,900 973,200 999,700 27.93 25.93 30.87 31.48 30.02 33.84 30.70 31.76 34.40 34.08 Above table from statistics compiled by Metallgesellschaft, Frankfort on the Main. (8) Wages paid in Coeur d'Alene mining district, Idaho. |