The Clifton clarion., 1888-01-18
How to Promote tine Interests of
 Mining.

oAS AH JNASNt, AOe EAOAAObSO, by Ch couraging gambling in mining stocks and aiding in the selling of worthless properties, or of floating on the public mining stocks at such exaggerated figures that they can not possibly be remunerative investments.
 There is no mystery about min- ing property that makes 1t i'm possible to determine its actual value, and the relgn of the char latan in mining has nearly ceased. There are now plenty of compe- tent, experienced and honest min ing experts who can give investors reliable advice concerning the values of mines, and who are above pretending to a knowledge that they can not have. It is no longer difficult to determine the actual demonstrated value of any mining property, and this should be the foundation on which any large investment is made. Buying prospects" where the value is aI- together conjectural and uncer- tain, for the most part consist in acquiring an interest in exchange for the money required to do the exploration work necessary to demonstrate value. This need never involve the loss of any large sums, and when prudently under taken under competent advice the prizes are frequent enough to make the investments ia opening and developing mines extremely profitable.
 The moderate and controllable risks which capital may thus take are perfectly legitimate, and the profits should be and are cores pondingly great. Nothing but in jury to the industry can come when these undeveloped prospects, or mines with no demonstrated value, are sold at figures based on what sangu1ne people may hope or expect to find in the unknown depths, or which designing and unprincipled men may be able to make credulous and imprudent capitalists think will be found. These expectations are very rarely realized, and the investments made on them are generally lost. Mining is then denounced as simply gambling, and such, in truth, are these investments; but If mortgages were taken, or city property purchased with the sama disregard for ordinary business precautions, such investments would equally be gambling and quite as disastrous.
 The third condition of success Is frequently neglected with pre- cisely the same results as would follow the employment of dishon- est management in any other business.
 Men experienced and thoroughly qualified to take charge of mines or metallurgical works can now always be obtained. It is no longer necessary to take the risks of giving the theoretical professor his practical education in that most expensive of schools. the management of works. Nor is it necessary to allow the so-called practical" man, whose knowledge and experience have been confined to tine narrow limits of swinging a pick or charging a furnace, to acquire in the same expensive school the wide knowledge neces- sary for the successful admins tration of great enterprise. What results might be anticipated if competent dry goods clerk were commissioned to sal an ocean steamer, or stoker were put in charge of its complicated machi- neyr?
 The risks in mining are neces- sarily greater than in first-class mortgages on city property OF in government bonds, but the profits are infinitely greater, and the risks may be rendered moderate by the exercise of ordinary busi- ness prudence in ascertaining the value of what is offered before buying, and in securing honest and competent administration thereafter. Eng. & Min Journal.
 Capital Punishment.
 "These new-fangled ideas of hanging are all humbug," says an earnest friend of mine. Hanging is too good for Jim Jacobs, let alone this talk of killing murder n,.- o,,1iril,- h,. nlcct,ic;t,- trhnr