The workingman's advocate., 1876-07-01
FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN Francisco, June 20, 1876.


To the Editor Of the woRKiKeMAS's ADVOCATE
l took up the Post tonight and found
these " Impressions OF CAlifornia" by
Rev. gentleman who had been amongst us,
and | said to myself are these teachers of
the true doctrine " of the meek and lowlv
Jesus !" these worshipers at the altar of
man non, these panderers who bow down
bef6 60 i'll gotten wealth To be sure these
build fine churches, pay high prices for
pews, that afford fat livings to those who
keep the masses in subjeCtiOn BY telling
them, that for all they endure here they shall
be rewarded in heaven hereafter, and to
these plunderers of the profits of industry,
they tell them that they may ''go through
the eye OF the needle" by repentance on
their death bed. He tells us that ''ten
years ago, perhaps less, Flood 4 O'Brein,
kept (,cItislIey omitted) Saloon, in which
they sold drinks for ten cents glass, " and
then he goes on slobberlng over these
gentlemen, who are well enough in their
way. They are not responsible for the
system, that has enabled them by shrewd-
ness, which this Rev. teacher takes 10 much
pains to laud, to accumulate a vast fortune
with an income rivalling that of manH
princes of Europe. But this Right Rst.
humbug sees nothing to condemn in q
system that enables stock gamblers to build
palaces to live in, and the most costly and
beautiful structures within whose precincts
this plundering game goes bravely on" A
game, which for its iniqUities and
devastating pecuniarY ruin, and its demor-
slizlng influences upon the community are
uneq lalled. But, Reverend gentlemen do
not hesitate to take a hand, even though
they know that what they gain, sone poor
hardworking man who, perhaps, has a
family dependent upon his earnings for
support, must lose. These reverends can
preach long and harmlessly about tn. evils
Of intemperance, and the ruin which the
drunkard brings upon his wife and child
rem. Out upon such damned hypocracy.
This reverened letter writer tells us in
small caps ''NO AIR OF HATEFUL sHoDYISM
ABOUT THEM" they are plain in their
manners, dress and habits, but know.
ing these influences, and sure of the
wealth they commanded. Is he sure there
is no shodyism about them Let him come
in the garb of a dependent, and he will
find it more difficult to reach the ears of
these bonanza kings, than for peasant
to get access to Duke in countries where
he :" has travelled" SO extensively; he will
find them hedged in with fiunkeys who are
as supercllious as their masters. There's
a difference since they sold whiskey to the
butchers, vegetable dealers and trucksters
around Washington market. Did the rev.
erend gentleman take pains to enquire how
these large fortunes were made did he learn
that the mOdus operandi was to get con-
troll of a mine, then connive with the
superintendent at the mine to cover up all
ore strikes, depress the stock by assess
ments, while it was being ascertained that
there was bonanza in sight; but all know
ledge is kept from everybody but those in
side the ringl The way this is done is to
bore ahead Of the workmen with diamond
drill; this leaves a core which is kept from
observation and secretly assayed. If pay
work is found, the workmen are stopped in
that direction before they come to it. In
this manner the ore body is approached on
every side until its size Is ascertained; in
the mean time the honest stockholders are
being ruthlessly sacrificed, and compelled
to sell out at ruinous prices. When there is
no more shares to be got hold of, the bon
ANA is uncovered, up goes the stock, and
the lucky ones" III ore vocabulary, realise
or receive the dividends Just as they
choose. This is the way the two Nevada
senators, Jones and Sharon, and the firm
of Flood & O'Brien made their money, and
it is considered perfectly legitimate here
in California, else, why does not our legis-
laiure interfere, and put stop to it The
reason is that the effect of such legislation
would be to drive these stock gamblers
who are such useful citizens to this
state-to the state Of Nevada, where
all kind of gambling is legalized and
where it would not be interfered with. If
there was spark Of honesty in our nat
tional legislature, mining laws would have
been passed long ago to protect bona tide
Investments in our mines. But even this
mine manipulation and stock gambling,
bad as it Is, Is no worse than our money
system, by which 50 many congressman
and European Shylocks, have been bene6-
ted, and 50 many Of our industrious people
are ruined. When such men az those /
have named here, and your Vanderbilts
and Stewards have made such fortunes in
q lifetime, the enOrmity of the system by
which it is perpetuated become too appar-
ent 70 endure long.
The reinment and virtue by which the
aristocracy of Eurupe and even the aristo-
Gratis of our own country in the olden time,
we're hedged around, gave us some respect
for them, but now when we see these men
who have risen from the very dregs of the
people from professions, that debase the
human mind, all respect for the holders Of
wealth, who have acquired it as hese up
starts who came into it possession, is lost.
ERnM ClEwEIANn