The record-union., 1894-10-18
woRps! woRDs, woRDs,


Mr.. Estee delivered himself of words
In his campaign in Nevada County by
saying that he was in favor of hydraulic
mining ifi could be prosecuted without
injury to the lands in the valley. From
the very outset of this controversy men
have made this remark until it has be-
come disgustingly platitudinous. A man
contributes nothing to the current dis
cussion who says that he is in favor of
hydraulic mining if it can be prosecuted
without injury to the valley. He is ex-
pressing a desideratum instead of dis
cussing a method or proposing a remedy.
In short, man might just as we'll print
words on lot of cubes and pour them
out Of basket and pick them up and
read them for discourse as to say that he
IS IN favor of hydraulic mining if it can be
prosecuted without injury to the valley
Every little bandy-shanked politician
who has discussed this question:; every
newspaper which straddies the fence;
every superficial observer who wants to
talk and has nothing to say, remarks
withseeming profundity that he is in
favor of hydraulic mining if it can be
prosecuted without injury to the valley.
A man delivers himself of words when
he makes this remark, and there are sew
eral things which he does not do. He does
not discuss the question at all. He does
not contribute any light or intelligence.
He does not assist in the solution of the
problem involved. He does not hide the
fact that he would like to be on both sides
of the question. He does not present
himself in the light of bold or aggres-
sive thinker. He does not proclaim the
existence in his mind of any public
spirit. He does not show friendship for
hydraulic mining. He does not disclose
any friendship for the valley. He simply
talks as a parrot might talk, and if the
parrots in the Second Congressional Dis
trict shall hereafter say that they are in
favor of hydraulic mining if it can be
prosecuted without injury to the valley,
1t need not surprise any one.
We have heard this from the mouth of
every candidate for Congress, every can
didate for Governor and every candidate
for Senator. 1t was meaningless at first;
1t was profitless in the second place; it
was tame and flat in its tertiary stage
and it is simply idIotic in the present
emergency.
We are not finding any special fault
with Mr.. Estee. Mr.. Budd will repeat
Mr.. Estees remark on the first occasion
of a political speech in hydraulic min
ing section. Mr.. Budd will say that he
is in favor of the prosecution of hydraulic
mining if the detritus can be made to run
up hill. There will be no novelty in this.
Mr.. Budd has genius for demagogism.
The only regret we have in this matter is
that Mr.. Estee did not make this state
ment in some new and original form.
Miners conventions, valley conven-
tions and joint conventions between
miners and landowners in the valley
have formulated this desideratum; but
Emperor Norton, the lunatic sovereign
of San Francisco, performed this service
for the country more than twenty years
ago. He issued an edret against all that
kind of hydraulic mining which charged
the streams with detritus. He wished
hydraulic mining to be prosecuted with
wind. And the epauletted lunatic said
just as wise thing as has been said by
candidates for public position, who look
their audiences in the face and declare
that they are In favor of hydraulic min
ing if it can be prosecuted without injury
to the valley.