Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-02-28
PLAIN TALK ABOUT ..R1Nosn

PLAIN TALK ABOUT rings"
We have recently heard much about
the "rings'' which control the mines,
ard to the supposed action Of which
has been ascribed much Of the misfor-
tune Of the past year. Against; these
'srings" many projects of law have
been directed by the Board Of Brokers,
and lectures have been delivered before
that body and elsewhere. We have
not heard, however, a word against
the "rings' to manipulate stocks; the
"rings"to sustain the price OF labor;
the rings to keep up the prices OF
fuel ; the .'rings" to monopolize the
timber supply; the "rings" to haul,
aud many other rings" which have
so overlaid the mines with expenses
that they have little profit even when
the ore Is rich, and cannot be worked
ut all except by paying assessments
where the ore is of average value. All
these "rings'' are in opposition to the
mine-owners, and yet the clamor Is
directed against the homogeneous
alone. Is 1t not quite time that the
other "rirgs" had 4 little overhaul
ing? For example-the Amador mine
extracted last year $677. Ole. OF which
1885, 500 went to the stockholders. At
the same time, in Grass Valley, mines
of the same character, but giving $l7
richer ore, failed to give a profit.
Why? Because at the Amador there
are no combinations; the mine is
under the control Of its owners,
and they employ their hands at
81 so per day to 81, according to
their ability buy their fuel on fair
terms and conduct operations on busi-
ness principle. At Grass Valley no
man controls his mine; all the work
Is dictated by the workmen. One mine
last year, for example, was left with
out hands because the miners went to
White Pine. The owner put on Chi
namen and Others, and for two months
did a prosperous business. AT the end
of that time the miners returned dis
gusted from White Pine, and by force,
drove out the new hands and took pos
session, the owner losing money, but
could not help himself, his only alter
native was either to shut up the mine or
| submit to "sslave labor" The same
parties who own the Amador, conduct
a mine In Nevada, but have no control
over it at all. They are compelled to
| give 81 80 per day to hands, many of
whom are not worth a dollar. They
have been compelled to give SIG per
| cord for wood which costs IS III Anna
dor, and $50 for timber which is So 80
at Amador, and IS for hauling. They
have had no power to regulate their
expenses whether the mine gave ore or
not. Take the Gould Il Curry. In
1868 it gave $751; 93 bullion, and
the labor cost $3S9,6SS, or ~ per
cent. In 1869 it gave $247,439 ore,
and the labor was 1881, 76S, or over 90
per cent. 10 meet all those expenses,
| which were artificially created by out
| side PARTIES, assessments have been
levied, and then the "ring make an
cutlery against the managers.
1t Is asked why private mines do
better than the corporations. The
reason is simple: II a man owns a
mine, it Is In a detached district, like
that of the Amador; he works himself,
controls his own business, hires labor
and buys material. according to his
own Judgment. The corporations are
in districts entirely controlled by
"rings," and have no liberty In the
matter whatever. There has been Of
late some improvement. The railroad
has effected a considerable reduction
In the cost Of supplies, and there Is a
chance that some freedom Of action
may be i~naugurated. What Is most
wanted, however, is protection for
property by the Government. If a
man owns a mine, which bears n GER
tain grade of ore that will pay to eS-
tract ut low wages, he wants protec-
ton against organizations which de-
clare he shall not extract 1t except
at high wages, which the ore can
not pay. If n farmer has n field
of wheat, which will pay to
cut at 81 per day, he wants to
be protected In his life and property
against those who threaten both unless
he pays S per day. There are now In
this State above 200 mines which, under
u system of free labor, would give
| 800, 900 bullion average per annuni,
| say $40, 000, 600. or double the present
product, but which, under the present
compulsory system of labor, lie idle.
Take the Amador, which produces
| S377, $50 bullion per annum from $40
orc. If that mine was subjected to the
Washoe rings it would be compelled to
| close at once. Freed from the oppres-
sion, hundreds of mines would open,
giving employment to thousands Of
men, and pouring down q living stream
| of bullion to fructify all industries,
We would not be understood, In
these remarks, to object to associations,
The principle Of association Is the great
motor of the age. By it, and the COM
| bination and subdivision of industry,
the greatest successes Of civilization
have been brought about. It Is combl-
nations to control the business of Others
by brute force against which We pro-
test. If people band together and re-
| fuse to work but on certain terms, that
Is their affair; they are free to do SO.
But. when o farmer has entered land,
toiled 10 raise a crop. and his grain Is
ready for harvest, he finds that he can
pay but 81 per day for help to harvest
It, and can get labor for that, his place
is entered by strangers with threats Of
fire and murder unless he pays IS per
to the intruders, an outrage is commit
ted which calls loudly for Government
protection. II the State government Is
powerless, the Federal government
owes protection. Failing the Federal
government, capital must resort to
combinations to maintain an armed
force for its OWL protection. BY these
means, social order is jeopardized and
anarchy is inaugurated.-S. II. alta,
February 25th.
In mauy respects the foregoing arti-
Gle from the Alta has a good deal Of
sound sense In ESPECIALLY It's allu-
sions to o~yer-paid labor and Its arbi-
trary style on the Pacific coast. Its
comparison, however, of the price Of
fuel, timber, and lumber, of the min
Ing operations in California and those
of the Constock. and Its deductions Of
results, IN entirely erroneous. 1t
cites the price Of fuel and timber Mt