Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1896-02-29
Is Mining A Business or a Gambler


through the dearly bought medium Of
mining stock speculation, 80 per cent
would unhesitatingly answers gam BILE,
pure and simple, large per cent worse
than faro bank, with less chance to
win, saving too. that the men who have
fonad fortunes in mines. were simply "a
yori,es Of the goddess, Lick. As mat.
ter OF fact, seventy. Ave out OF the ninety
w,nld be wrong. and that too, out OF this
large percentage, would not be zltogeth
or from class whose opinion on most
q ,es,ions that enter into economies OF
lie, but often from men who are looked
upon AZ persons Of sound business jndg.
msnt, who have made q success IN lite
In the svocations and professions they
have made ife's study, familiarizing
themselves with every detail Of their
chosen pursuits that would contribute to
success and avoid failures.
Wny is il then That they arrive at such
conclusions? Simply because they have
not given the question the same thought,
experience and business methods that
they give their own business, in other
lines in which they have achieved sue.
cess
Granted that there is no guarantee in
the outcome OF mining venture, is il
not equally true OF every business that
men undertake, be IL real estate invest.
menf, merch sndising, manufacturing.
sock raising aud so on ad infnitum
Although, as the maj ,rIty OF men being
bred on to the manners torn, In these
lines, one " POLL have right to expect
9 greater percentage Of success and a
mn n shorter list OF failures than stAiis-
tics show, (about per cent success 10
s. per cent failures in both merch ,ndi,-
ing ani m inufActnring). When We ~.
siier that mining, Ia all the mineral
wealth producing states is essentially in
its infancy, and only OF late years has it
been conducted on either scientific or
business principles, but when so con.
Quoted, following the strict rules OF bus.
ine,s applied to their large undertakings,
and bringing to bear all that science has
t,ushr, applied 10 mining and the treat
menr OF the products Of the mine, will
venture to assume that mining, true, leg
itinste, business mIuing, will show
larger remuneration for capital employed
than the great maj ,rity Of other enter.
pri.es.
Nov what is mining? Not the sink
ing OF few prospect holes, developing
vein OF qn,rtz or ore, whether good,
had or indifferent; stocking il for one
thou ,and times any intrinsic value that
bs shown--ex :ept on paper md then
20 ling thu stock broadcast through the
land on basis OF misrepre3eot ,tion and
falsehooi that should c1nsign the al
thors 10 place where they can do the
state some service: and corraiiog the
hard earned dollars Of people. who, de.
string to better their material condition
In life. believe in these fAkirs and their
lying promises. onIy to lad with the de-
pirture OF their dollars that they have
b)uyht only bitter experiences. NJ. this
Is not mining, bu; the curse Of mining,
aud every man IN the mining business
sh mid in his owa interest discourage il,
AMI every state legislator, in the real in
terest OF the state, sho1d protect as far
as possible the people OF his own and
other states from being victimized. 1t
takes capital, and usu lily good deal Of
1t, to mine successfully. G,ld, silver,
c,ppsr AMI lead are not usually produced
without costly efjrt. The tenderfoot
with golden visions soon finds. not only
thu "4il is not gold tina, glitters," bat
that Ia order to get tn 1t or any Of the
precious metals means hard work, de.
terminsd etfJrt, cletr heid, and bust
mss h.oits to su;cesi in mining. Given
thsss factors the necessary money will
cone when no can sh ,w sons results for
his ef,r,s tn 1t req lire the assistance OF
capital for larger results. NJ man is so
we'll entitled to consideration as the pros.
pector who has toile1 through the cold
and disco nf,rts Of the m ount ain winters
and the heats Of So inner 10 his qnest for
the leads from which hs can fnd pay.
Ing mine. Hs is entitled to the full value
ION business bssis) OF what he can Of.
fer to capital, bat he IN ikes a great mis-.