San Andreas independent., 1858-01-09
The Mines. New Systems REQUIRED.

The Mines. New Systems Required.
MIR. EDITOR There are but few sub
jects of more interest to the majority of
your readers, than the success and pros
perity of the miner; and [ have been
pleased to observe that you have used
your influence to promote the general
welfare of the mining community, by
gathering every information to their ben
eft, and by your open advocacy of their
rights. make this remark not so much
in Il spirit of compliment, as for an ex-
cuse for what | am about saying.
Although the success of the miner de-
pends upon the yield of the claim he
owns, and the improvement in machinery
by which the gold is extracted and saved,
yet his prosperity may be much promo
ted by what [ shall call system. | may
not be able to add anything to his success,
but, Mr.. Editor, | propose through your
columns to call attention to some of the
grievances under which he now labors,
and bring facts home to each miner who
reads this article, and then will cndeavor
to give the cure. | have adopted this
course, because | believe most in his
knowledge of the profession of physic
who first convinces me of the exact ma
ture of my disease, and then prescribes
his nostrums.
Mining in California, particularly in
the southern portion of the State, is una
dorned by the lights of science, and with
out the dignity of thorough business =
Each miner is his own counselor, and the
silent repositer of his own knowledge
y want of confidence in others begets
selfshness in ourselves, and silence or de-
ceptlon as to our experience.
A good understanding and common
interest in each others welfare, has been
found by experience to be requisite among
all persons engaged in the same business,
however elevated or humble the business
may be. For their own benefit, rules of
internal regulation are adopted, which
are comprehensive, simple, and effectual;
and for their mutual preservation against
the efforts of wrong or injustice outside,
a mutual, united and uncompromising re-
sistance is made Thus, association be-
gets friendship; following in the foot
steps of friendship comes communica-
tiveness and the comparison of expert
ence.
The lack of organization entails upon
the miner more evils than he imagines,
for he simply thinks that the result of
organization is but to gather the expert.
ence Of stranger, and to. impart to him
his own there is the mistake 1t is
true, that for the want of carefully enacted
rules and laws, the miners claim is but
indefinitely defined; his rights, as mere
possessor, indistinctly understood, and his
property liable to invasion and loss. 1t
is true, that for the want of duly di-
gested code of procedure, he is driven to
great loss of time and money in order to
ascertain his rights, under the crude and
half-the- time unwrtten customs of the
miners. Yet, all of this could be so easi-
ly obviated; that each miner in his equi-
table imaginations of justice without
laws, thinks it is done without pausing
to ascertain the truth; or, controlled, by
that wrecklessness which is characteristic
of the miner, he don't ca'e, until some
"hacky streak" places him in position
where he learns, to his loss, that such is
not the case, and then he "don't care
more" In single moment of regret,
perhaps, he would, if he had a chance,
turn to those who, some day, might be
placed in his unlucky position, and en-
deavor to point out the errors of the half
customs or laws, and show wherein they
are defective; and then, in spirit of re-
venge, and hope of retaliation, his
mouth is closed with the favorite wish
that he may be able to turn the defect to
his own advantage.
But proper organization of miners,
and the proper elevation of the business.
has grander and more remunerative eff
fects, than the mere regulation of the acts
by which mining claim is deemed to be
possessed. Though if that was all that
was to be accomplished, certainly those
laws by which the tenure of mining
claim becomes less precarious than it now
IS, would be God send to the poor hon
est miner.
The miner suffers from thousand and
one evils, from which nothing but
thorough and complete system of organi-
zatlon can relieve him. | will endeavor
to enumerate some of them in a future
article. o.