Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-07-30
A Prevailing Trait Of Humanity.

searching in vain for paving diggings
for years. This should admonish
those who enter the mines with rush,
to be patient; the present colorado is
all staked, and it may require an ex
haustive and prolonged search to dis
cover another. Look the possibility,
ii not the probability, squarely in the
face, and be prepared to earn what re-
ward you may attain by earnest, per-
sistent, well-directed labor. Remem-
Der that under normal conditions,
"there is no true excellence without
great labor" that Fortune only knocks
once at any mans door, and that she
may have raped that once and you
have failed to hear her.
There is, of course, chance that
| this opportunity is still in reserve.
This impression is worldwide. Hope,
ever eternal" cheers the human heart.
We see it in the gamester, who risks
his last dollar and sacrifices honor
and reputation on the turn of card
or on the final fall of the little ball
as it spins around the revolving plat
form. We see it in the pit of the
stock exchange, where men become
veritable brutes, in the scramble for
gold. We sec it in the arena of poll
tics, where men often degenerate into
artful demagogues in q struggle for
position and its attendant pelf.
The most remarkable condition that
this universal aspiration of humanity
involves, is the utter absence OF any
thought of failure; or if it be consid-
cred at all, that it is so speedily rele-
gated to oblivion. If there occurs a
speedy development of city, from
any cause, thousands rush in, expect
ing to share in extraordinary gains.
Ii is not a question of wagcs-for the
profits of the wage-earner are too slow
for amassing wealth-but nine out of
ten of those attracted by the hustle Of
prosperity indulge the vague expecta-
ton that portion of the piles of NOR
tar and brick rising ON every side may
become theirs by some vague species
of alchemy unknown to Reason.
The same impulse controls wherever
it is announced that some fellow NOR
tai has stumbled upon handful of
golden nuggets. No thought of failure
dampens the ardor of the majority of
men when they become victims of the
gold fever. No difficulties are too
great for them to surmount. No
thought occurs of the invariable ex-
perience attendant upon all mining
excitements, and the disproportionate
number of the "lucky" to the Gun
lucky" delivers for treasure.
There seems to be an innate DISPOSE
ton on the part of humanity to en-
gage in all sorts of games of chance.
We find it at times even beneath the
very drippings of the sanctuary, as ex-
emplified in the purchase of slice of
prize-cake or of dip into the grab
bag, at church fairs, in the hope of OBJ
tanning something far exceeding the
amount invested. 1t is manifested in
horse-trading, land speculation and
other forms which society tolerates, if
it does not wholly approve; but it is,
after all, the same morbid impulse
which sets the world aflame whenever
fortunes are staked upon the uncer-
tainties of chance. Were it possible
to place the certainty of securing a
competency, against the labor, priva-
tions and dangers to be encountered
in exploring the Alaskan wilds, it is
not probable that the excitement
would be more intense, the enthusiasm
whit greater, nor would the risk be
assumed with any less degree of hest
fancy.