The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-11-09
THE SILENT MINES.


tention. It is not possible to aid by pro-
lection one industry and destroy by the
theory of free trade an equally inpor-
tant one, and expect success and pros
perity TO follow. Protection for the 81
lent mills and milling industries must be
also protection for the silent mines and
mining industries
Free trade is a theory and the fact is
now presented to us as the result of that
theory. The single gold standard is also
a theory, and the fact is now being pre-
sented to US in the closed and silent
mines, and the deplorable condition of
all the interests dependent upon that in
dustry, which includes, also, the farmer.
The awful picture of the dreadful conse-
quences attending free coinage is all
based upon theories; just as much so as
is free trade. In the minds of most men,
even those who write upon the subject,
the silver question is associated with the
idea Of free coinage, without any knowl
edge Of the term, or the real meaning of
it, and, if friendly, they are met by an
array of figures, borrowed from English
views and the class of fnanciers that are
in harmony with England. These views
are as much matter of theory as are the
views and figures of free trade theorists.
The friends of silver, and those who
understand the question, know that free
coinage means simply to give silver the
same protection as our other industries.
He knows that both are identical and
necessary to national prosperity; and that
parity of gold and silver means, not the
debasing of one for the benefit of the
other. He knows that it was not be-
cause silver was the less precious metal
it declined in value, but that it was by leg
islation, and to restore it by legislation
to its former position which it maintained
for eighty years prior to 1873, is but an
act of justice. 1t was in the interest of
England that it was debased, and it is
it must be restored. England has forced
the financial policy Of theories upon rs,
and also of commerce. These have I'M
poverished their own country, and now
are inipoverishing ours. What was our
condition before either of England's
theories was accepted by US? We will
take all English view of ourselves upon
that. Mr. Munha1l, the statistician the
Royal Society of England, in his "Ba1-
ance Sheet Of the World" says: "It
would be impossible to find parallel to
the progress of the United States in the
last ten years. Every day the sun rises
upon the American people it sees an adj;
dition of s., 500, 900 to the accumulation
of wealth iii the republic, which is equal
to one third of the daily accumulation of
all mankind outside the United States"
Thus one third of the world it daily pro.
ductive power IS here represented, aud
will it be argued that such power can
not sustain its ancient, its much needed
money? All England wants, is cur pro
duce cheap, aud has killed silver i'll or
der to get cheap.
The Royal British Commission in
report to parliament upon the subject
says: SIT must be remembered, too, that
this country IS largely creditor of debts
payable in gold, and any change which
entailed a rise in commodities generally
that is to say, diminution of the
purchasing power of gold-would be to
Our disadvantage. And the interests of
Australia and other gold producing col
onies must be considered" "
Sir Rivers Wilson, an English delegate
to the silver conference at Brussels, said
in a speech before that commission:
"Our faith is of the school of rlonomet-
alis111 il pure and simple" And what is
the result? These theories have been
forced upon us like the theories of free
trade, and with the silent mills of indus
try, stands the silent mines, whose ma
chinery rusts in mines of wealth, with
millions of investment that is lost by the
accursed fall in prices, and the standing
army of miners who do not know any
thing else but mining, and have never
been trained in any other lines of trade,
are standing idly by the ruined shafts
that are being filled with water and rot
ting in mould, with millions beneath
their feet, of precious wealth, while
their starving families waiting, ask that
they may be given honest toll.
Can we afford to follow a theory longer,
when the fact remains that protection
means of all our industries, and that our
financial system shall accord the same
justice to the mining industries that our
commercial system gives to our manu-
featuring industries, and the farmer?
CHAS. H. Glenn.