The hydraulic press., 1859-09-17
TIE MINES NOT CURSE

| The truth of the statement embodied in
this caption, so far rs California is con-
cerned, needs not to be proved by argument,
although many unsound thinkers are fond
of asserting the worthlessness of mines and
miners w. II. Rhodes, in the course of his
eloquent but unphilosophcal Grafton at the
Marysvile Fair observed that IA mining
population-no matter how rich the mineral
deposits is the poorest, and great mining
countries the weakest and most unprosper-
Gus on the globe" He then very inaptly
compared the mining regions of this State
with those Of Mexico, South America, Asia
and Europe, and rhetorically asserted of the
miner, "that his pick is ike the fiery hoof of
Alaric's courser-wherever it is driven into
the earth grass never grows again" Now
the simple fact is that California owes her
rapid progress and present eminent position
to her prolific mines. Without these the
country would at some time have been set
tied, doubtless; but these have been the great
stimulant, and will continue to be for many
years. Agriculture and the mechanic arts
now come in as adjuncts, and will ultimately
be chief elements of our prosperity, but at
present they are dependent upon the mining
interest. Any mineral country whose miner
al resources can only be developed by in
telligent labor and heavy investment of cap
ital must be prosperous. Were our mines
SO rich, as in the early days, that fortunes
could soon be picked up by idle yagabonds
and flying adyenturers, they would indeed
bea curse. As tits, demanding persevering
industry and the outlay of much capital,
they retain hardy people in the State, stim-
ulate and support other branches of indus
try, become throngcd with thrifty and fixed
communities who cult vate the soil for it's
more legitimate fruits, and are the arteries
which feed the great commercial centers. In
view of these facts, briefly presented, well
might the orator Of the San Francisco Pio-
neers, at their late anniversary celebration,
hold the following language:
sIt has been held as sound axiom in po-
litical philosophy, that no country can be
prosperous which has for one of its main re-
sources mines of precious metal; that the
very existence of such mines has a demoral-
izing influence upon the people. Even Ed
ward Everett, a man whose name we all de-
light to honor, once said: Describe to me
a country rich in veins of the precious
metals that is traversed by good roads.
Inform me of the convenience of bridges
where the rivers roll over golden sands. Tell
me of thrifty, prosperous village of free
men in the miserable districts where every
clod of earth is kneaded up for diamonds"
But what is this which we see before us,
seemingly as if in tulfilment of the wrapt
words of the prophet, who, far through the
distant realms of the future, looked forward
to millenial age: "The valleys have been
exalted, and the mountains have been brought
low" in cleaning precious gold from the
bosom OF the earth. Yet with each success
i've year we have knitted more strongly the
sinews of our moral, social, political and
strength, and established the great
truth that it must be something more than
this that can retard or impair the growth of
this young son of the giant American liberty,
whose home is built in the heart of this great
continent"