The San Francisco call., 1895-10-18
THE MINERS IN EARNEST.

The absolute unanimity with which the
convention of the California Miners Asso-
citation conducted its business was one of
its most remarkable and significant feat
ures The hints dropped by some of the
leading delegates in interviews to the effect
that if the influence of the railroad COM
panies was present it did not dare express
itself, have a far-reaching meaning, which
is fully developed by the openly announced
determination of the miners to put check
upon the evil methods which the railroad
COMPANIES have employed to secure min
eral lands under the pretense that they are
agricultural.
John NJ. Wright, one of the delegates
and an able mover to protect the rights of
the people in this regard, made speech.
in the course of which he declared that the
miners of California are the only indie
pendent people in this State; that every
other industry is under the control of the
transportation interests, and that the
Miners Association alone has the power to
grapple with the situation.
This is fierce arraignment of the farm
ers, merchants and producers of the State.
Mr.. Wright's high worth as a citizen and
lawyer precludes the assumption of his in
sincerity in this assertion. Whether he
may be honestly in error is another mat
ter. 1t is true that miners are independ-
ent; true also that they are fearless, de-
termined and energetic. In assuming the
miners to be the only guardians of the
public interest in the matter Of railroad
land aggression he is imposing RESPONSE
bility on them the gravest that ever de-
volyed upon any body of citizens, and in
tn cir efforts to discharge it they will have
the sympathy and support OF thousands
whom Mr.. Wright seems to have omitted
from his calculations.
The other great interests OF the State
must accept the position in which Mr.
Wright has placed them unless they come
out openly and tearlessly in support of the
fight which the miners are making. The
leading merchants of San Francisco have
already done this. We shall next await
with interest the action of the farmers as a
whole, regretting that their earnest oppo-
sItlon to the miners on the hydraulic ques-
ton may operate as an interference with
their natural desire to lessen the burdens
which the railroads impose on them.
Through the attorney for their Anti-Debris
>A-SONAol4OAl, -hI' OCN4 444lI IAcy dulOQUCc
that they will oppose any suggestion look
ing toward solution of the problem of
impounding debris. The miners, on the
other hand, declare that they will not sup
port any plan which may operate as a
menace to the valley lands. There is seri-
Gus danger that this attitude of the farm
ers on the hydraulic question will
strengthen the cause of the railroads on
the mineral lands question, and that the
whole matter Will have a strong bearing
on the oVeTshadowing question of trans
portation rates, as well as on the vastly
important subject of improving the water
ways, IN which the farmers have a vital
interest. On this last point Mr.. Devlin
leaves no room for doubt that the farmers,
while insisting on the improvement of the
rivers, will forever oppose any amalgama-
ton OF it with hydraulic mining.
The situation is thus seen to be very Sc
rious. With the miners and merchants on
one side OF great questions and the farmers
on the other, we cannot hope for the best
results to the State. Surely the civiliza-
ton OF California has progressed sufi-
GENTLY far to make it possible for the in
telligence of the State to work harmoni-
ousIy for the common good. Such harmony
is the one great thing next to be accom-
plished,