The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1893-09-06

! giving each the privilege OF coinage
at the government mints, providing
for the weight and finances of the
coins, and declaring them a legal
tender for debt, create the use of and
the demand for these metals, and
give them their value, and to the ex-
tent that the laws shall deny either
of these metals recognition, to that
extent the demand for and the value
of such metal is diminished.
/ Leaving out the financial view OF
the question, it is self-evident that, if
America is the greatest owner and
producer OF silver and England the
greatest owner and producer of gold,
the legislation OF this country, so far
/ as it affects the question at all, should
4 be in favor of silver rather chan gold
! for silver mining sustains the life OF
six States, in whole or in part, and
three Territories. It is the vital in
4 dustry of one-third OF the area of our
entire country, constituting the field
of exploit, OF endeavor, and OF hope.
1t is true silver mining is not
the only industry in that region /;
but all the other industries are built
upon and dependent on it. Silver
mining stands at the base of every
industry in that region. deal in no
exaggeration when make that state
ment. 1t is true we have other in
dustries-lead, copper and coal min
ing, commerce, banking, and trans
portation- but you will find that they
are all allied to and dependent upon
this great industry. In lead mining,
silver is by product, and often con-
stitutes the only element of profit.
So also, but in more limited de-
gree in copper mining. Coal mining
is prosecuted, not with view OF sup
plying distant markets already sup.
with coal, such as Illinois, Ohio, and
Pennsylvania, but for the purpose of
supplying the smelters, the popula-
tion Of the mining camps, and the
cities and towns dependent upon
them, and also for the purpose Of
supplying the motive power for the
transportation of that region.
Agriculture is pursued not for the
purpose OF seeking distant markets
transportation would be to expensive
for that-but for the supply OF the
local markets OF the mining regions.
The lands there are not moistened
from the heavens as in the East.
Artificial irrigation is necessary and
vast irrigation schemes, involving
large expenditure, necessltating the
storage of water in the mountains for
the period of drought and its trans
portation through long and expensive
canals over vast areas of what had
been an arid waste, have been inau-
gurated and carried out for the pur-
pose of reclaiming that country from
the desert. The farmers OF the Mis-
sissippi and Ohio valleys little know
under what difficulties and at what
expense agriculture is pursued in the
intermountain region.
What will become of this vast in
terest when silver mining and the
kindred industries are destroyed? !?
What will become of the commerce of
that region, having its sources of sup
ply in the great commercial cities of
the East and West, dependent upon
local industries for its support, re-
alizing great profits out OF the most
generous markets in the world for
it is well known that the most liberal
market is the mining market? All
the expenditures are on liberal
scale, and a mining community will
spend much more per capita for sup
plies, for transportation, for all the
necessities, ,conveniences,a land comforts
of life than any other community of
like population.
The transportation companies in
this great region are also dependent
upon silver mining. Did you ever
reflect how many hundreds and thou
sands of miles of railroads have been
built for the purpose of tapping the
silver mines? All the transporta-
ton companies have endeavored to
reach them directly or by extensions
and branches, all the transcontinen-
tai railroads are dependent upon sill
yer mining and the allied industries
for their traffic-the Northern Pacific,
the Union Pacific, the Central Pa
cific, the Oregon Short Line, the
Great Northern, the Colorado Mid
land, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fe-the transcontinental business of
these roads give little profit because
of the keenness of competition. 1t
is the local transportation in the
mining regions which is profitable.
The only exception to this rule is the
Southern Pacific, which is en-
trenched in and draws its support
from the rich and fertile valleys of
Cali fnrpia uialdipo nc thew do prO-