Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-03-11
MINING ANp oAMeLlNo.

II there Is anything that will fili
miners soul with wrath, and max,
him weary OF mankind, II Is TO hea
an Intelligent man class mining "as
gambling game" II Is true In th'
sense that farming, manufacturing
merchandising and every other pur
suit OF mankind, is gambling. and no
otherwise.
Tho farmer plows In hope and sow
In faith. but he takes chances OF rair
and drouth frost and food, grass hop
pors and San Jose scale. and. abov,
all prices. The merchant takes hi,
chances on those OF the farmer OF
manufacturer or miner-and makes OF
breaks as times are good or bad Tn,
miner takes his chances Just the same
but. n anything In lesser degree
There are failures IN all calllngs. as
well MS successes and the latter are
greater than all among miners.
Mining Is not gambling. Il Is civil.
zation. II Is the foundation upon
which humanity has erected the fab.
ric Of modern advancement. without
mining the world would today be Just
where Il was IN the stone age.
Our houses would be natural caves
or rude novels. built OF bark or skins
Our clothing would be the skins Of
Wild animals, sewed with Infinite Ia
Dor with hone needle and with sin.
ews for thread. There would have
been no going down to the sea In
ships, no tickling OF tho earth by the
farmers plow, until the glad field
laughs In joyousness at their golden
hhsyests No hum OF the splndles O
whlr OF factory wheels. no advance.
ment OF humanity but for the toller.
who, with his little candle. descends
into the bosom OF the Garth. TO bring
the treasures she 50 gladly yields out
for the benefit OF her children. The
plow, the harrow, the harvester and
the thresher exist. because the miner
brought forth the material which made
them possible The net work OF rail.
roads. tho engines aud cars that make
transportation possible. are the pro.
duct OF the miner Tho house that
shelters you and yours. owes It's OK.
iStenoe 10 the miner The stoves that
warm, and the fuel, or much OF Il. that
they consume came from the depths
OF the earth a testimony OF tho min.
ers labor The gas that sheds its
soft light over your hearlhstone comes
from the mines, and Il Is brought TO
you In pipes taken from the earth
The battleshlp that austaines the honor
pf your nag. tho guns with which they
are armed, the fuel that drives them
around the world all are the ultimate
product Of the miners toll, aud the
nows of their dolngs Is flashed thou.
sands OF miles along the rayless bot,
tom Of the ocean, and TO every hamlet
tn the oiyiliEed world over wires dug
from the ground by the miner
The fairy fabrics OF the loom. beau
tml as a dream q Aladdin, could no,
have been made without tho miners
metal, and the gowns that beautlfy
and make Glad tho hearts OF women
were made with bic OF steel dug
from the earth by this socalled gam.
bier Nay when the proud beauty
stands before the glass that makes
her blush AZ her own loyeliness. or
when tho glad father holds his baby
before the same mirror that Il may
shake its chubby hands at that other
cherub who laughs back at him. il Is
the miner that has made this doubling
possible.
The reilWays that carry the farmers
grain 60 the seaboard. and the ships
that ooayey Il 10 the attemost con.
anoe ot the earth. Owe their existence
10 these men, who are so alppan,ly
rallied gamblers Tho pencil with
Nhich these weak lines are wrltton.
vas nrss brought out OF the depths OF
ne earth BY them. The beauty who
aakos med mad with love Tor her owes
very one OF her adornments 20 those
anne gamblers" Her beads. her
angles, her buckles. the corset that
hapes her supple waist the rings that 4
noircie her taper hnsen, the ala.