The union Democrat., 1869-03-20
what eheuId be Dene.

and the majority Of them have passed into the
hand, of Cinnamon, from whose labor the
nublie gain scarcely any benefit. The quartz
mines have been 20 reeklessly conducted,
tha, all confidence in them seems to have
been lost: under the management With which
they have been worked they have IN great
number of instances resulted to the loss OF
persons investing. Under this existing state
of things it is necessary to provide for, and
establish some other industry for the support
of our population. Mining has ceased to be
the dominant pursuit of our people, and with
the working out of the mines, there is work
ing out of our population. We are decreasing
rapidly, and getting poorer every year; unless
relief can be found in some form, it will be
but short time before our beautiful valleys
and grand mountains must become deserted
by humanity, and given up again to the griz-
zles and cayotes.
At this late day all can see that mistaken
policy has hitherto prevailed, regarding the
mineral lands of California. Thousands of
people have worked for years abstracting the
precious metals, destroying our lands for
agricultural purposes; acres upon acres OF
fine valley and plain lands which few years
ago were susceptible of cultivation, now ap-
pear on every hand sterile and barren, with
out soil, covered by miners tailings. Had
our lands been put in the market and sold to
the actual settler, the farmer would have fol-
lowed his agricultural pursuit in conjunction
with mining; as he worked his mine he would
have taken care to have kept the land in
good condition for agricultural purposes. 10
this way he would have reaped q double
profit, the mine yielding the means he would
naturally improve his farm, which would
constantly enhance in value, giving him a
desire to make it permanent home. Had
such policy existed, it would have filled these
mountains with an industrious class of men,
which would have promoted such degree of
prosperity, that we would now have been the
richest section of the State. The lands not
having been placed in market, and the mines
being open to every person, thousands OF ad-
venturers without any interest in our State,
have come and destroyed our lands, collected
our gold, and scattered it to the four quar-
ters of the world, without beneftting our
section to the least degree.
The uncertainty Of titles existing in the
mineral region, has induced those who were
willing to invest their means among us, to
seek other channels for investment. Outside
OF niue or q water-ditch, there never has
been single Indictment presented for any
person to invest capital. Every other interest
has been subservient to that of mining; if the
farmer improved his ranch, he was in con-
slant fear that the miner would come to pros
pect for gold and destroy his property. No
other enterprise has received SO much pro-
tection or enjoyed so many privileges as
mining has in this State, and while it contin-
ued to be beneficial to the whole community
none desired to interfere with its protection.
IL ia not the wish now to interfere in any
manner with the acquired rights of the
miner. At this time when all industries
among us are SO much depressed, with u GER
tain prospect of their becoming more so, tn
less some remedy can be devised which will
result in turning this road to decay; for the
preservation Of our section, mining should be
placed on the same footing with oil other
interests that tend to make US prosperous and
permanent. All our people should assent at
once to any measure or policy which promises
TO establish confidence; it is no easy matter
however for all our people to arrive ut def
mite conclusion as to what is the best course
to be pursued.
The wealth Of all countries consists princi-
pally of its lands; the more they are cultivated
the more valuable they become, making the
country 10 which they are situated more pros
porous and wealthy, the people more con-
tented and happy. Within a very short
period large tracts on the plains aud in the
foothills below Us, have been brought into
cultivation, that three or four years ago bad
but nominal value, which has advanced to
a value of ten to fifteen dollars per acre.
Those lands can never be made as valuable as
much OF that within the mineral region can
be. No climate in the world can be finer
than ours none can be better adapted to
vegetation, ali kinds of fruits are produced of
superior quality. No better place can be
found for raising the grape; grain of all
kinds. vegetables of every description grow
most luxurisntly.
With Such facilities it naturally seems that
our interest would direct US to pursue that
policy, which will make the farming interest
the leading one. To do So will be necessary
for the Government to place our lands in
market upon the same footing near as can be,
that those OF the agricultural portions Of the
State have been. This can be done. and at
the same time protect the miner in any &C
quired right he may have. By throwing
these lands into market it would be an invita-
ton to the settler TO come and build him q
home in desirable climate in the midst of
fine lands adapted to al! the productions of
-. ,,~rsrasa zona Re would undouhted