New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-14
SIDE LIGHTS on SILVER.
ENORMOUS DEPOSITS OF THE METAL IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA
NO FREE-sILvER IDEAS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
IDEAS GROWING IN THE NoRrh"hsl-
ERN MINING STATES.

IDEAS GROWING IN THE NohihNr'
ERN MINING STATES
To the Editor OF The New-York Tribune
Sir: recent visit to the mining districts OF BTU
ish Columbia has thrown some light upon points
at issue In the free-sllvcr controversy. Ihe MIN
eral deposits OF this Montana OF the DOMINION must
be taken into account in the worlds financial forc-
casts They have been suspected FOR half cent
ury. but ten years cover the real developments OF
mines in the Kootenai and neighborng districts
The Silver King mine. on Toad Mountain near the
present town of Nelson, was discovered III 1872
This rich find drew crowd Of American miners
and prospectors across the line, whose picks dis
closed the boxes OF the Slocan the secrets
of Kaso and Lardo. and later the wonders OF
Trail" The SLOGAN silver mines were first tapped
by two American prospectors in 1891 More than
fifty different mines now being worked, ana
the number is steadily increasing. OF these the
SLOGAN Star has already paid In dividends hair or
It's $500 900 capital and promises to pay Sloo"c quar-
tery hereafter. The vein 1t works averages nity
feet in thickness. with enormous quantity OF ore
In sight. In the Kaso-Slocan district there are
some ten separate groups of silver deposits Sew
eral are Of fabulous richness Specimens of ore are
often found thoroughly voined with the metal
that when the rock is broken with hammer the
pieces cohere by the threads and sheets OF silver
running through it.
The Lardo Dunca district to the north, is thought
by many to contain yet richer treasures OF the
white metal. New finds constantly being made
in the mountains and foothills In every direction.
The four mountain ranges on the western side oil
the continent covering from 10 to Is degrees OF lon
gItude and reaching to the Arctic Ocean are fun OF
mineral Silver predomnates and new silver ter
ritory is being found north of the Canadian racine
Railway and south of the United States lhe' as
well as all the way between. The mountains are
full Of the disputed metal. 1t only waits the adj
vent of sufficient capital be produced In cart
loads.
Now there is a significant fact, very creditable
to the Dominion and instructive to the American
people Among the citizens OF British Columbia
there exists no free-silver sentiment, except in
sporadic instances where the American mining
and trading contingent from the silver States nave
brought the Infection with them 1t has not the
slightest influence the political or commercial
affairs Of the Province. The same is true Of the
rest OF the Dominion. Intelligent Canadians look
with wonder and anticpative condemnation upon
the spread Of a doctrine which. in their eyes I'M
plies reputation They willing TO produce sill
yer as they do wheat, for what 1t Is worth in the
markets Of the world The idea OF paying their
honest debts in a currency of inferior value they
scout as an mputation upon their honor with
less than half the money per capita which Is In
circulation in the United States Canada has SUI
fered much less from the financial troubles OF re-
cent years, and Is content to use the standard
the untold resources of the Dominion.
Not all Western Americans on either Side OF me
lire bent upon contemplation. A very intel
ligent level-headed foreman in one OF me smetins
works in British Columbia expressed himSeli WIN
solid common-sense than Is often heaTd from
Americans In that region. once OF .wlce n."iv ~
from those ultra-sver immigrants the threat OF
armed rebellion In case the East refuses 10 let ,i1
West try its favore nostrum; but TINS man hhH
come to the mining country 10 aVali hiHlstli
OF the large wages there given SO that ne msh'
pay interest on mortgages given on valuable prop
erty In Washington, and thus hold II TIL better
times He said he had no fault TO ma with the
Government No Administration could help MIN
Free-silver would not him from the results OF
his financial rashness His own right arm mus nus,
hands lie could not blame Eastern money-lenders
most of them ordinary people like himself ana not
milllor aires for wanting their money back again
in value equal 10 that lent. He wished to treat
them as he would want TO be treated II in their
nlace Who can fail TO respect a man like that?
Pr ir Snotaue therc is evidence Of a steadily grow
ing sentiment in favor of Mckinley and honest bi-
metallism. Thu Rep lbcan Club in that city mum,
bered last week twice many as in any previous
campaign, with new names daily added Men wear
ing Bryan buttons walk into the rooms ana sign
their names Sound money literature Is called for
on every side The thoughtful, reasoning element
in these transmontane States IS more and more
convnC ed of the faacy Of the free-sver PROPOSE
ton. In the thriving young city OF kalispll. the
centre Of the attractive Flathead Valley, I'm North
western Montana there were but three or four out
spoken gold men few weeks ago Now there Is a
Republican club of 10. with constant additions.
Here and in the Dakotas / have noticed that In
competent farmers are generally violent Populsts.
Cheap agriculture needs cheap money. or thinks 1t
does But the thirst for diluted currency Will not
be satisfied with silver 'arf-n- arr. The fulnedsed
Populist is disciple of Rabelais, When this au-
thor's Shylock of ook would collect OF the starry
ing porter his bill for smelling the sayory odors or
the roast the Court Fools decision WAS that the
cook should be paid-in the clink OF a coin which
the fool loaned the porter. after ringing it the
floor and testing ii In other ways. Why pay %
on the counter is the atmospheric equivalent of a
whole dollar passed from hand to hand? Even a
fool could tell Populist debtor mat he IL bound
TO pay gold for gold j. II. r..
Kallspel, Mont, Sept T.