The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-03-15
TIE ArNLYG MANIA.

II Il III ~ n -hA-A-N -
New York Tribune: There was an
ex-governor "a few years since whose
business frequently called him into
some ofthe mining regions of the west.
One day he was approached by a
wealthy neighbor who, dif1idently shg
costing that be must see opportunities
for excellent Investments, finally offered
him $4,000 TO be invested in mines.
"Do yorknow anything about mines :"
asked his friend.
mo, nothing"
would you iBtrust me with $4,000
to be invested in railroad stocks or some
manufacturing enterprise, according to
my Judgment"
"No, don't Thick / would"
"Then in Gods name. man." shouted
the excitable ex- governor, why should
you blindly give away your money to
be sunk In holes IN the ground of which
neither you nor knew anything:"
Had Mr.. Gilbert L. Crowell been IA
vored with an equally sound advisor, he
might have been prevented from appro-
priating trust funds and sinking $775,-
600 in "hole in the ground" And
mining, which has come to be an I'M
saVory odor in the nostrils Of eastern
people, as the condition OF the market
has testified. might have Teen spared
this last blow. Yet IL is not unlikely
that NO advice could have healed his in
fatuation. The mining mon0mania is
disease TO be commended To the study OF
psychologists Peopfe SOUND on every
other point go utterly daft ON the sub
ject of mines. Men like the one quoted
above. who &oultl never dream of in
vesting dollar in any legitimate man
uiactnring or commercial business with
Summation, have again and again sunk
their thousands in some wildcat mining
scheme oa the strength of the assurance
OF "promolers," the reports of experts"
and The richness of tray
of sample ores The idea
of finding precious metals
in the earth exercises the same influence
that is felt by the man who hunts for the
buried treasures of Captain Kid, or the
gambler gho pu;sues the phantom Of a
fortune dependent on Q fluckY turn of
the cards" Now ii is wGrlh pointing
out that there are two classes OF people
who rarely make money out of mines
the Eastern people who buy mining
stocks, and the. Western prospectOrs who
are the original locateTs of claims, but
who, as rule, lack money for the neces-
sary development and are forced 10
sail. The men who find mining most
profitable are. ON thO o3e hand, those
who, living IN the west, combine capital
and a thorough knowledge of the bust,
pess, and on the other, the INSCRIPTIONS
mining spepulator who haunts our East
ern cities. Fhe stock of the really val
liable mines is usually held by a COM
paratively few persons as private en-
terpriSe. The stocks representing prop
critics of any worth which are put upon
the market are few in nbmber.
But stock gambling is one thing, min
Jog another Those who have suffered
by such centuries rs State Line, Little
Pittsburg, Chrysoilte and Robinson are
apt hastily to confound the TWO. There
is no necessity for going over frequent
lY trodden ground 10 show that mining
properly rondHcted is a legitimate bust
ness. The development of The states
and territories west of the hundredth
meridian is very largely due to mining.
For the ten years from 1870 TO 1880 the
value of the precious metals from the
western and Pacific states and terrific
ries was $500. OG0 600, and for 1891 alone
$S4 ,504,4l7 1t should be remembered.
too, that mining ranks second only 10
agriculture among cur National in.
dustries. Happily there has grown
up both here and in Bnglaud dur
ing the lest two years 6 more pFI-
dent and rational spirit regarding min.
ing enterprises. Men have learned that
knowledge and experience are necessary
in this business, as in any other, aud
that there is more truth than poetry in
the old saying that it requires mine To
work mine-which saying Mr.. Gro.
well could abHndantly confirm. Such g
spirit is more healthful than the blind
infatuation which characterized the
palmY days of the Comstocks and the
development of Leadville. The dIsas-
trous failure of Mr. Crowell will not be
without its use if il serves 10 heal others
bitten by the mining mania and hasten
the day when mining shail be carried
on only lay Intelligent apd legitimate
methods