37 



have been enougli mined and worked to supply our own wants and for 

 exportation, as is d ne in Sweden and Norway with similar ores, 

 climate and fuel (wood charcoal), as the laws of that country are suoh 

 that no mining property can remain idle so long as any one desires to 

 work it. In Sweden an i Norway if a party ow^ns a mine and is not 

 working it, another party can do so by paying the owner half the jn'ofit 

 of the voiking of the mine, and if he gives it up the owner or any 

 other person can undertake to work it on the same condition^, hence no 

 mining properties remain unwjrkod. 



In some European countries, and in some parts of the British 

 Ishinds, the minerals are owned by the Crown, and at one time, even 

 in Ontario, certain reserves of minerals were made in old deeds, but of 

 recent years this is not the cise. 



Some may say, that in advocating the Sta'e owning the land, you 

 are advocating communistic doctrines, but that is another question alto, 

 gether; what is desired is for the State to own the minerals, which ia 

 British law and custom. 



There are at the present time thousands of British and Canadian 

 subjects in the United States mining regions who would take up claims 

 in Canada were the laws such as wonld enduce them to do so, but at the 

 present time there are no free-grant mining claims given and no in- 

 ducements offered to explorers, prospectors or miners, to locate and 

 develop a claim. 



Under the present system 100 acres realizes to the government, 

 say at $1.00 per acre, $100 ; and in ten years the country gets the 

 benefit of the amount expended on that mine in labor, &c., if it is de- 

 veloped and worked, but if not, nothing. U nder the system where the 

 government holds the minerals, and gives grants free to miners, or on 

 lease or royality, the country receives at least $100 per year for tea 

 years, say $1,000 less the value of the 100 acres $100, leaving a bal- 

 ance of $900 in favor of the free-grant or lease systems. 



Under the lease or royalty system, in ten years the country re- 

 ceives the same as under the free-grant, together with the additional 

 royality received when the mine is paying, whiuh may be several 

 thousand dollars yearly, and tlie increased value of public lands. 



But it may be asked, from what source will the government 



