The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-24

How many of those who go out into
the world. sometimes even from our
public schools, pass through life deaf
and blind to the wonderful things
around them. How often men live pit
liable slaves to nature rather than re-
joicing masters simply because they
know nothing of her laws, have no eX-
oerience in working with her. and have
not been trained to do. Huxley says,
Knowledge of nature is the guide to
practical conduct. Anyone who tries to
five upon the face Of the earth without
attention to the laws of nature will
live there but for Il very short time.
most of which will be passed in ex-
Ceeding great discomfort; Il peculiarity
of natural laws us distinguished from
those of human enactment being that
they take effect without summons or
prosecution. Thousands OF us are dy-
ing daily and living miserable because
we have not yet been sufficiently zeal
GUS to learn the code of nature.
We need to provide for a wider dis
semination of knowledge of the earth
on which we live and the wonderful
treasures of wealth. power. and COM
fort which are stored up for us, but
deep and eXhaustless study and en-
perilnentation upon the fundamental
principles underlying our mineral ill.,
dustres and the many intricate and
perpleXing problems which are con-
fronting the miner and metallurgcal
manufacturer of today. 1t is incum-
bent upon our commemorative and
upon the national government to unite
in, ht,i irry lao ,,1,I
equipped technical mining and metall-
urgical industrial schools. That con-
sress has not already provided such
means for research and experimental
tion to aid our mineral resources as it
has for agriculture is due in IA large
degree to the fact that ii has not real
lied the gigantic proportions to which
our mineral resources have grown and
the untold wealth to be yielded up to
us as, by new scientific discoveries and
more skillful methods. we get more
perfect mastery over nature.
No industry requires for its success
higher technical skill than does that of
mining and metallurgy in it's various
phases; and next to agriculture no in
dustry contributes 50 largely to the
growth and prosperity of the nation.
cral productions are astonishing. 1t has
now reached annually the enormous
sum of over a billion dollars. a large
part of which. unlike agricultural
products, is Il permanent contribution
to the nations wealth.
Yet because of Il lack of knowledge of
our resources and of the best methods
of utilizing the powers of nature we
have as yet only begun the develop
ment of our boundless wealth. AS our
knowledge, skill, and interest are de-
Seloped there will constantly be added
ew resources. Indeed, we may safely |
-ly that what we have gotten is but
she shadow of what we may expect. In
no other industry has such rapid and !
substantial growth been made and in |
no other are there such grand oppor- |
tunities for the reward of genius and |
scientific training as well as for the |
profitable investment of capital.
TO what other industry, then, could |
government aid he of such immediate |
and great benefit? AS result of sys-
tematic and scientific experimentation |
the miner would be directed so as to |
save much time, labor. and money in
seeking results otherwise impossible.
1t would result in bringing our new
processes of mining and ore treatment
which would make it possible to work
with profit vast deposits of ore now
BY the provision for growth
in knowledge and scientific experiment
tation which such schools would afford
there would soon result Il large increase
in mineral production and saving
Mines and Minerals.