Mr. STEWART. I do not wish to be under stood as being Opposed to any regulation by Congress on this subject. Whenever it can be understood and investigated so thata hill can be prepared whereby parties desiring to mine in these salt springs can obtain title, and that in small quantities, sufficient for their operations and no more, I shall favor such a bill. I am in favor of these salt springs falling into the hands of private prorietors as soon as possible. What [am oppose to is an arrangement whereby an unlimited quantity of leases of lands can be obtained, under the pretext that there are salt springs upon them, by a few individuals, the Dept having no means of ascertaining how the thing is situated exec t by the representations of the parties who desire the leases, I am utterl opposed to inaugurating a system of this kin. The salt springs and salt mines ought to be in the hands of private proprietors. I know very well that ifa bill of this kind were passed, it would be practical ruin to the State which I represent. There is salt enough in that State to supply the civilized world during all time. It is only a question of freight. There is any amount of it there. There is a salt bed there which is said by those who have examined it to be the most remarkable that has ever been found in the werld. It has never been surveyed, but. it contains probably several thOUSflt. acres of rock salt in a pure state. It is of vast useto the community there. It costs only the expense of freight. Salt is essential in mining. A mining region could not progress without it. It is one of the essential elements of minin. The mining of it there now is free to all. If you allow men to lease these saline lands and monopolize them for 25 years, it would destroy the prosperity of the State. When a system shall) be devised to operate all over the U.S., allowing these lands to fall into the hands of private prorietors, so that there shall be no monopoly, no arm done to anybody, it is desirable that it should be done. The Senate has passed a bill to allow the mineral lands to fall into the hands of private proprietors., I think it was said here that the miners would oppose it; but all the miners, so far as heard from, approve it. All they want is that the inines shal not be monopolized, but shall go into the hands of private parties, on the principle of the greatest good to the greatest number. I say, at the circumstances in regard to these salt springs be understood; let a bill be introduced; let it be perfected at the next session, or the session a terwards, if it cannot be done then. Let it be intelligently understood; let it prevent the possibility of these salt springs alling into the hands of a few; and then I shall favor the passage of such a bill. It is true that the present bill does not apply west of the ope /100th meridian' but still there are important interests connected with these salt springs in the East, and it will be a bad precedent. I am afraid if it is applied to any portion of the U.S., it may eventual y be applied to the whole country. such a system, applied to the whole country, would be most destructive and most disastrous. It should never be applied to such a thing as salt, which is so essential for domes tic use in the East, and so essential both for domestic use and mining in the West. These salt springs and lands should be so divided out and apportioned, out among the bonafide salt miners that the whole community shall not suffer.