Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-01-23

/ compelled to do this to procure the nee
essaries more essential to life, and also
to pay their taxes. l regret to learn
that this state of affairs exists to a
great extent in all the agricultural
states.
In some of the states farmers are
burning corn because they have no
money to buy coal, or they find corn so
much cheaper, as fuel.
ask in all honesty, Are such things
necessary in land so naturally blessed
as our own America? So rich in its
millions of resouces?
Is there no remedy?
answer, Yes! BY the ballot. At the
coming presidential election vote for a
candidate who is pronounced silver
lite, who favors the free coinage of sill
yer and gold at ratio of Is to 1, and
who will not betray your confidence
after his election.
1t will require several years to place
us on the prosperous footing we en-
joyed twenty years ago.
There are but few in the east who
realize the great Importance of this
silver question OF understand it in its
entirety; who appreciate the fact. that
we have but just passed through the
greatest silver producing era the world
has known for four thousand years. 1t
is the third of its kind, and covers a
space of thirty-five years, or since the
discovery of the famous Comstock in
Nevada. With most of the silver near
ly worked out history is liable to re-
peat itself, and may not favor us with
another such production for thousand
or even five thousaDA years.
Allowing silver is 'remOnetized at 16 |
to 1, the production will increase but |
slowly. The reason is that the greater |
number of old mines are worked out,
and there is but little hopes of finding
new ones of their past magnitude.
People in the east, generally, have
but little knowledge of the silver mines
In the Rocky mountains; know nothing
whatever of their workings; are ignor-
ant Of how silver is produced, where
1t comes from, how it got there, or why
1t should become exhausted.
l have personally examined very
many mines on the Pacific slope, and in
the interior, and have reliable informa-
ton from other mines as to their pres
emit condition and wealth. l can say
that the number OF silver
mines showing good ore below the
1000 foot level will not equal the num-
Der Of fingers on ones hands; and fur
Their, l may say that 1 am familiar
With many mines throughout Montana,
IDAHO, Utah, Nevada and Colorado,
which do not show good paying ore be-
ow the 600 or 700 foot levels.
Copper mines are not referred to.
They are different. The copper mines
II Butte, for instance, improve with
lepth, and some of them are nearly or
quite 100 feet deep. They produce,
however, but little silver. Seven million
'unces per annum will cover all the
'y-product from copper and lead in
Montana at the present time. Silver
reduced in this way is very expensive,
3 1t must necessarily go through sew
raj treatments before it gets into fine
'ars. With silver at a low figure 1t
oes not more than pay for treatment l
Then 1t is produced with copper.
1 could give a thousand more rea-
ons why this country should have
rec silver coinage at a ratio of 16 to /, 4
ut my letter has grown longer than 1 /
{ first intended It should be. a
The things mentioned are matters Of 1
istory, some Of them unwritten, It Is
rue, but nevertheless truths that will T
emain with US forever. T
With every wish for your success in
he great cause you have so nObly es- "
oused, have the honor to be, very a
'uly yeors.
JOSEPH X. CLARK.