Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-07-11

built mp a commonwealth Of power
and splendor, but in which the
mines have long since ceased to be
predominating, or even a greatly
important, factor
We have seen the same con-
ditions in existence, the same
evolution on Camas Prairie. First
came the gold miners, a very large
proportion of whom abandoned
mining rs a business and settled
down upon the fertile soil of
Camas Prairie, or on the bars
Of the warm canyons Of the Sal
mon and Clearwater. 1t is safe
proposition to state that 80 per
cent Of the members of this Pioneer
Association came to Idaho county
with the intention of permanently
engaging in the occupation Of
mining. And believe that if we
counted noses today we would find
that 80 per cent Of us are still
specializing in, or owning stocks or
operating mines in some way or
other. So that whatever Of pros
perity we have had on Camas
Prairie in the past, before the
advent of the railroad up the
Clearwater canyon, we owe the
greater part of it to the fact that
the miners in our mountain ranges
have furnished us with a cash
market for all of our surplus pro-
ducts.
Most of us have passed through
the golden age of gold mining in
Idaho without having accumulated
very much of this worlds worldly
goods. l do not recall any MEM
Der of this association who has
accumulated wealth. None of us
are rich men, while the great
majority Of us are quite poor. 1t
would seem that the pioneers of
all countries are not endowed with
the faculty of acquisition.
Too many of us have acquired
nothing but gray hairs and old age
in all our years on the frontier.
But we have the satisfaction OF
knowing that our hearts are in the
right place, and if we are poor it is
through the fact that we have kept
open house and open hospitality
and have perhaps endorsed to
many of our neighbors' notes.
A young man in one of the eastern
universities once asked his princi
pal the best way to get rich. The
master said to him: "Young man
make all you can, save all you
make, and put all your money out
at interest, and by the time you
are as old as / am, you will be the
richest man in the state-and as
mean as hell besides.
My friends, there is more in this
life than the acquisition of wealth,
and i am thankful that I have
resided on the frontier so long that
l have lost all sympathy with the
prevailing intense commercial
spirit of the age. The greed for
gold is growing more and more
upon our American people. The
great and wise Abraham Lincoln
saw the clouds and warned the
people against the impending
danger. No man will say that
Lincoln was either q croaker or
a fanatic. He was intensely con-
servative and he loved his country.
He came up from poverty, but his
affections were with the oppressed
in all conditions of life. He ming
led with the people and felt their
inspirations. He realized the
brutalizing effect of the money
power, aud near the close of the
civil war Lincoln said:
ave may all congratulate our
selves that this cruel war is near
ing close. 1t has cost a vast
amount of blood and treasure.
The best blood of the flower of
Americas youth has been freely
offered upon the country's altar
that the nation might live. 1t has
been indeed trying hour for the
republic. But l see in the near
future a crisis approaching that
unnerves me and causes me to
tremble for the safety of my coun-
try. AS the result of war corpor-
ations have been enthrOned and an
era of corruption in high places,
will surely follow, and the money
power of the country will endeav,r
to prolong its reign by working
upon the prejudices of the people,
until all wealth is aggregated in a
few hands and the republic is des-
troyed. l feel at this moment
more anxiety for the safety of my
country than ever before, even in
the midst of war. God grant that
my suspicious prove groundless.
These are the solemn words of the
great and good Abraham Lincoln,
who guided the ship of state
through the troubled waters of
rebellion. He saw the danger in
the future. That danger is over
us and around us.
The railroads are consolidating,
out competition, issuing
watered stock and making worth
less securities dividend-paying by
the exercise of arbitrary power in
She fixing Of rates.
The trusts are swallowing the
industries, building up enormous