San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-08-08

er does not believe that his con: grega.
tion is built that way. Klondike is re-
preventative of not only all the physi-
cal strain that the human body can
bear. but of the severest mental and
social and moral strain as well. 1t Of
fers to the body the most severe toll,
| exposure and exhaustion, under cli-
matte conditions that are in themselves
fatal to the average American consti-
ton. 1t offers these without any pos
sible means of counteractiug their in
fuence by proper diet and lodging. 1t
offers them as the certain pledge for
an uncertain success in washing gold
out of the gravel OF the creeks.
Great as is the physical strain, the
mental is even worse. Books and pa
pers and the means of information
that are a necessity now will be cut
off. No prisoner in his dungeon will
be more fully deprived of the sustain
ing power of these bulwarks to mind
than the average Klondike miner. His
long winter of eight months will find
him utterly demented at its close.
Thought will turn in on itself and
brooding over its clipped wings and en-
forced captivity mourn itself to death.
Mind cannot exist without pelng leu
and among the eternal SHOWS OF that
isolated camp Of gold seekers wnere
will the food for minds daily table be
found? Crumbs of intellectual bread
win be more precious than gold.
The social strain will be no less.
Where will the social exchanges make
their Roadway in camp of gold seek
ers, where every man is suspicious OF
his fellow and the law of might is
largely the law Of life. There may be
the one or the two who would delight
in a social and mental exchange of
all that they have, but it would soon
be worn threadbare. Others would
grow jealous or suspicious of the
closely woven bonds and there would
be literal hell on the Klondike. The
only refuge would be in turning your
self into a beast as the majority of
those in that winter camp will do and
then what will the harvest be. The
end would be absolute unfitness for
social life in the future that at all re-
fines.
The moral life is even painted in
blacker letters. Read the accounts of
the satanic orgies that are held in
Dawson City, where it requires $50
day to pay the bills of common exist
ence, treating the occasional time that
it is your turn and paying shot as you
go. What kind of a life would that
be for you, members of the Light con-
gregation? 1 ask you, would you VINO
are women, want your sons ana proth-
ers and husbands to make part OF thdt
winter hellion in order that they may
return to you with a pocket full OF
dust. There is death at every turn OF
the road, death to body, mind, morals
and home devotion. 1t is well to look
these things in the face and correct the
fever if it shows symptoms.
Not that all who go to Klondike are
going to the devil, but the tendency is
that way. There are those who are
worth nothing more than to people
such a place with victims. To make
The young man who is too
worthless to do anything at home
may do well to go there. 1t will re-
lieve his friends of his presence, prob
ably for all time to come. He may
strike it rich and his turn of luck may
save him in which case Klondike may
become his salvation, but one would
not choose such place for his regen-
Grafton. Scraping gold dust from the
floor of the pit of perdition is not safe
employment for the average young
man and he had better let out the job. |
Do not catch the Klondike fever.
Those who go in companies, well |
equipped with means and supplies may
do well, but they can do just as we'll
at home. Chance for chance their |
money and work invested here will |
bring more than invested there.
Where one wins in that deal one hun
dred fail. The man who has money
enough to make the trial of his luck
in Klondike in good shape has money
enough to grub stake him at home for
successful business in other lines.
The true policy is to encourage the
worthless, the tramps, the lazy, the
never do-w wells to go to Klondike. Bid
them good speed on their journey and
a fervent wish that they may never re-
turn. For all Others, your sons and hus-
For all others, your sons and hus-
bands and brothers the prayer of wis
dom will be that none of these may
catch the Klondike fever.