The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-01

The foregoing mparlSOnS between the
industry OF gold and silver mining and the
manufacturing interests of our country
while not calculated TO belittle the in
dustry of mining for precious metals,
which Is very important, is nevertheless
tremendously instructive. Surprising
that the election of Mr.. Bryan should re-
suit in the passage of a free coinage law
and marked increase in silver mining,
what would that be to the country COM
pared to the wrecking of American manu-
featuring industries by the enactment of
free trade-laws, and that Mr.. Bryan is a
pure free-trader the following quotations
from his speeches in Congress abundantly
proves. On the 10th of March, 1892 (page
2355 of the Congressional Record). Mir.
Bryan said:
Il want TO say as emphatically as words
can state it that l consider 1t false III
economy and vicious in policy TO attempt
TO raise at higher price in this country
that which we can purchase at lower
price Abroad
Again, on the Goth of the same month,
Mr.. Bryan said:
Il am not at this time complaining Of
revenue tariff. What l denounce is pro-
tectiye tariff, levied primarily and solely
for protection. 1t is false economy and
the most vicious political principle that
ever cursed this country"
Nothing could be more explicit than
this and, if elected, Mr.. BRYAN will use all
the power of his administration TO put in
effect MS free trade policy as well as his
policy OF free silver coinage, and what
though there be a fellow-feeilng between
those who mine gold in California and
those who mine silver in Colorado, or
Arizona, are not the almost five millions
of tCilers in the factories OF America
brethren also.
Mr.. Bryan is not wanting in any of
thnSa ertitioaS for oattipu s'ppYt the
people" which the smoothest of politicians
possess, but his election would be as
disastrous to the mining industry OF Cal
ifornia as to the fruit industry or the
manufacturing industry. Fully 60 per
cent of the miners in California are in
terested directly or indirectly in ''pros
poets" Perhaps thousands OF them work
down in the valleys during the winter,
but when summer comes they flock into
the Sierras on prospecting tours. Hun
dreds OF others through the min
ing counties are interested in de-
veloping individual claims, and almost
all OF these are on a lookout to obtain cap
ital TO develop or purchase some OF these
claims, which they themselves cannot de-
velop for want of means. Now, the very
capital these men are anxious for and
have been waiting for for years is being
frightened away by this free-silver craze,
and this, too, just as Eastern and other
Cdpltdi 10 DeRlllulHS 10 Ue lUfeSltu In
and loaned upon mining properties; but
no sane man will lend a dollar in gold
when there is risk that he will be repaid
In deprecated currency, or that an in
dustrial condition will be brought about
which will make it impossible for the bor-
rover TO repay at ali. These are precisely
the effects now being produced by the
crusade for free silver and free trade now
being waged by the Democratic party.
From lS4S to 1873, inclusive, California
produced an annual average of almost
S3S, 100000 in gold, but after 1873 there was
steady decline of mining in this State
until 1888. when the shutting down OF
some of the silver mines of the silver
States and Territories created world
hunger for gold that led TO revival of
gold mining everywhere. During these
years the output OF gold and silver from
California mines dwindled from $40 000, 600
year to $l2 600, 900, and the opinion was
generally entertained that California had
long since seen her best mining days.
The revival of gold mining in this State
began almost Immediately after the crash
OF 1898, so that by the close of that year
the gold and silver product for the year
reached Sl2, 959 1868, gain OF almost 81 O00,-
600 over the previous year. For 1894 the
output of gold and silver was $14 300
6l3 "A, gain of nearly 81. 225, 600 over 1892,
and for 1895 the gold and silver product of
our State reached SIS, 934, JOY 80, gain of
almost four millions over the product for
1892, and while there are no accurate data
obtainable at this time those conversant
with mining affairs believe that the Cali
fornia output of gold and silver for 1896
will nearly If not quite reach $40, 600 900.
Surely California miners have not suffered
by reason OF the closing down OF a few of
the poorer paying among the silver mines
OF the silver mining States.
Now greater part of the impetus re-
Gently given to California gold mining is
because OF the investment of capital which
has come from outside of California
Much OF it is borrowed money, and will
California gold miners, by voting for
deprecated currency, frighten away this
capital just on the threshold OF an era OF
great mining development? The great
mother lode, 120 miles long, has not yet
been half prospected, and only fraction
OF the good prospects have been worked
at all. If there is to be mining develop
ment there must be capital, and a large
part OF this capital has got to be borrowed,
and 1T cannot be borrowed as long as there
is danger of the debt being repaid in de-
preciated currency. And it should be re-
membered that if the Popocratic party sue
ceeds in carrying out its programme there
will be no such thing as safeguarding CAPT.
tai by STIMULATING for payment in gold
coin of the United States" for the Chicago
platform proposes to have Congress take
away from the people the power to make
private contracts of that kind. The exact
words OF the platform are: 1--WE favor
such legislation as will prevent for the
future the demonstration of any kind of
legal-tender money by private contract"
Therefore. the triumph of this free silver,
free trade (but not free contract) aggrega-
ton would mean the destruction IN its
lusty youth of what promises to be an era
OF mining DEVELOPMENT in California such
"a has not been seen since the days of '49
10 50. Besides, If the California gold
miners really wish to aid their brothers
in the silver districts. there is no other
way of doing it so effectually as to safe
guard in every possible way the invest
ment OF capital in the production of gold.
for each ounce of gold that is taken out
of the ground makes room in the none.
tary systems OF the world for the circula-
ton by its side of sixteen ounces of silver
Take that thought with you while you
work.
But all this concern manifested for
silver by the Popocratic aggre CATION is the
shallowest pretense. 1t is mere beating OF
tom-toms to distract the attention of the
people from the great conspiracy of i'm
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