The Clifton clarion., 1889-07-10
The Sentiment Towards Mining.

Public sentiment towards mining as a legitimate business has for many years been far below par. Prejudice had become so ingrained that conser- vative business men viewed mining as being necessarily associated with ex- travagance, rascality and duplicity. Its early history had given strong req sons for this prevalent opinion, for there certainly were multitudinous in- stances of deception and dishonesty of the most fragrant character.
 The aggregate of fortunes squan- dered in mining originated the cur rent maxim that it required two dol lars of capital to produce one dollar from precious metal mines. Perhaps no other business ever attracted so many dishonest and inefficient men and continued them for so long a time in prominent positions, where their reckless and questionable practices received no check until they had completely bankrupted their principals.
 The struggle to overcome these deeply rooted prejudices has been valiantly waged for many years by the more honest and capable men who succeeded the thieving and in- competent gang that first plunged mining into such disrepute.
 There is nothing in mining, per SC, that should develop and bring into prominence the dishonest instincts ot its conductors.
 In truth mining today IS altogether a different proposition from that of twenty years ago. Then miners dis covered and developed mainly to en- thuse others into buying at fabulous prices and milling ores at ruinous rates. To-day they discover and de- velop to market their product and realize their margins of profit.
 In the early days superintendents wielded powers far beyond that now attaching to such offices. Then there were no railroads, telegraph lines. smelling facilities nor banking privi- liges. The men who put up the money were in far distant cities and exercised no supervision over the con- duct of their properties or knew any thing about the expenditure of their money.
 Those were the days of overland stage coaching, from the Missouri river to Denver, through a country inhabited by scalp-lifting Indians, and hence capitalists, willing to risk their cash in mining, would take no chances on their hair and so the superin- tendent was bigger man than he had ever been before or has since been. The history of their extrava- gance, debauchery and ignorance so tainted the reputation of mining that all subsequent honest conduct has been regarded as exceptional to the rule and great profits have not erased the remembrance of early insignifi- cant losses.
 Human nature absorbs and retains memories of evil more quickly and for longer periods than it does opro- site impressions. We quarter of a century ago granted certain grand privileges to the colored race, but this generation will not cease to remem- Der the slave status ouv of which it was lifted. It requires the most deli cate admixture of chemicals to eradi- cate stain from any fabric without destroying the texture or changing the original hues. Too white a spot is as much an eyesore as deeper dis coloration. Reformation in man or woman, however thorough or con- plete it may be, never places them upon an equal footing with those who have never departed from the paths 0t rectitude and virtue.
 Mining has suffered through con- duct not inherent to itself, and its ex- piation has been too greatly extended. The precious metals are the most powerful factors in civilization. con- merce, good government and for the security of all communities, and therefore mining for them should be recognized as legitimate and bene- ticial occupation.
 Every intelligent and observant man must admit that the greatest losses in mining are matters of past history, and not occurrences of the present day. Such men must confess