Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1892-10-16
A VI Fols NEVADA.

Aho loifONfiuS 10 tdNeu iiUu@ VIC
speooh delivered by Senator Stewart
In Virginia City, on the evening OF
Sept. Oath:
At tho time I went to the Senate
first everybody spoke we'll of Nevada,
everybody congratulated the mon
from the mines We were then held
as friends and ~penefactors; but since
tho crime of 1873 our silver mines
have declined, our property has been
destroyed, IL people have been
ruined. That crime bliyhted the
hopes OF our people and sent thousands
to untimely graves by the loss nj their
fortunes. ] lind aEreat change since
a few yenrs aso. ! have been through
the various mining camps in the State,
and, fellow citizens, you do not real
ike the sights that l have seen. The
miners OF this State, the minority Of
l5em nre past middle age. There ARE
vome young men among them, but
there ore u great mary that have
passed the prime OF life, others are
young men that have learned the
trade OF mining and know no other
TRADE. l was ut Candelarin, Eureka
and other places and l mot there tho
friends OF my youth, those whom I
have known for the lust forty yenrs.
They can do nothing but mine. The
crime OF 1873 has destroyed them. II
it cannot DO reversed, silver mining
will cease. It may continue for u
little time on the Comstock, but its
duration is very short.
THO mines nj tho present discount
on Silver can run but II little while.
Twenty dollar silver ore where there
is no gold yields only about twelve
dollars utter paying tho discount.
The Comstock would last ut the pres
Ont rate Of wages a generation il sill
rer was again one dollar and twenty
nine cents per ounce. Tho mines are
now run on assessments which cannot
list long. Camps where no nsscss-
ments can be ordered arc all shut
down. Although you are now getting
along better than elsewhere, the time
will come when tho miners will DO
without employment. The miner
who has pursued that uvocation for u
term Of years cnnnot turn his hand
TO other business He cannot make a
new living for himself, he cannot
strike out in another field. He has
no money to start with. Hc ia unac-
cushioned to pursuits Of life that
Others have learned.
Now, the contemplation OF the sit
uation Of the miners of this State, the
contemplation OF their situation and
their suffering In consequence OF this
rrimo makes mo exceedingly sad. 1t
is II sud spectacle. What is 10 become
of US if We cnhnot get tho FREQ coin
age OF silver! Tho State Govern
ineut cannot he carried on unless tho
,nines nre worked. Agriculture Gun
not be carried on without the mines
because they afford our market. We
ore remote from market, and IL will
not pny to raise vegetables, grain or
other things to transport to other
States, because thoy can raise them
cheaper themselves. We can raise n
little stock, We can do n little in that
line, perhaps make n little butter and
cheese, but That cannot mako u State.
We can have cattle ranges and sheep
pastures, but they will not mako n
State.
IL tho mines Of this State wore
worked wo would have one of tho
most prosperous States in the Union.
There would DO u market everywhere
~ silver was worth Sl.20. There il no
place in the whole United States 80
desirable for the laboring men rs
Nova Ia, no place that holds out tho
prospect that Nevada Goes, because
there is no State in tho Union which
has such n vast extent OF silver mines
OF n sufficiently high grade to pay for
working the samo il silver was restored
to its monetary function. Candelaria
would DO booming. You would not
see tho poverty and starvation TINT
you see now. Tuscarora wonld re
vive; Eureka would be n grand min
Ing cnmp, and tho Comstock would
furnish employment for tho next fifty
years on low grade ore. We would
have happiness and prosperity. II We
cannot restore silver tho picture is
dark indeed. We have u motive for
working together, We have our nil at
stake. The only question ia, whnt is
the best way to secure our offset; how
can this great work b5 best accom-
plished2
Six years t.go when | wont TO Con-
Rrcss / found the silver question
buried. Nothing was being said on
the subject. 1 resolved to agitate it,
to make speeches, to bring tho ques-
tion up in season and out OF seucon,
TO circulate documents among the
people, TO got access TO tho Trades
Unions, TO tho Farmers Alliance, and
to every labor organization through
their officers. I found nccess To them
and | have epont my whole salary in
furnishing them with silver docu.
monts. (Applause.)