The San Francisco call., 1899-09-26

city. Until the opening of the meeting in
the afternoon there were naturally but
few excursions, and at the first session
there gathered all the visiting members
of the institute. Many of the ladies of the
visiting party were there to hear the pres
ident's annual address and the prelimin-
ary announcements. Besides these, many
coast members from outside the city and
State displayed their presence, and the
large local attendance of mining men and
other prominent citizens crowded the hall
to the doors.
Lieutenant Governor ]. H. Neff, presi-
dent of the California Miners Associa-
ton. had been suddenly summoned from
the city, and In his stead Vice President
w. G. Ralston delivered the address of
welcome which he did in fitting and
forcible style, making in the course Of his
remarks some pertinent observations on
the present and future of California S
mining industry.
annual address, which was an interesting
review of the mechanical and metallur-
gical progress Of the nineteenth century.
II think that California set the example
of automaticity in metallurgy," he said,
in referring to the gold mill, and then he
Important phases of nineteenth century
progress has been the liberality with
which men not only of science but OF
their experience and transfer their
thoughts to others" Mr.. Douglas con-
tinued:
We cannot help recognizing that the great
force at work during the latter half OF this
century has been the use of machinery in
stead of the use of handpower, and that
we. as an Industrial group of the worlds
nations, have been the one to have used
most this new principle in human affairs.
The entire obliteration of local interests
and the concentration OF our great enter
prises IN certain favorably located centers
has come naturally. The result of that has
been, of necessity, the cheapening TO the
al q
wise injury to the Individual. What has
taken place at home is taking place no less
abroad.
1 think we may conclude that II we are
going to maintain our present prominence
must not count upon our mere natural
resources, but must bring that wit
and wisdom to bear upon Industries
that have displayed in the past; and
that in the twentieth century, upon which
we are SO soon entering, the nation will
not rise in the scale so much by possession
OF natural resources as it will by its pos
session OF mental gifts. OF course. first
and foremost stands machinery. That
of the American people
L will draw attention to another factor
in our industrial life which you in the
West will appreciate better than in the
East, and that is our freedom from the
admirable thing. Yet education may make
us so bigotedly subservient to what has
been taught us that 1t dwarfs the imagina-
the West. whether we look at our mines
or our smelling works, we cannot help
progressed
largely through our ignorance Van Cotter
and oil the books define everything beau
tifully. The law OF 1872, which was framed
upon the books. laid down mineral deposits
arranged as regularly as the lines upon a
text books and followed the law of 1872
our prospectors who pitched in and devel:
oped all kinds of deposits would never
have opened up the mines of the West
The twentieth century will see q race
again between the Old World and the New
World for-I will not say supremacy but
for prominence in all the industrial arts
And we will hold own, not by the Dos
session of natural resources, but as l have
already said. by the possession of that mar
velous mother wit which have already
brought to bear on what we have done III
the nineteenth century (Applause.)
The annual address will soon be pup
lished In full along with the other pa
pers read at the meeting, and will remain
a valuable feature of the voluminous
transactions Of the society.
The first technical paper Of the meeting
was read by Professor William P. Blake,