Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1907-08-31
ceeded. Pray, Mr.. Parsons, what proof

not the legislature OF Idaho made pro-
vision for $4,000 to be expended ~ the
road; did not the national forest service
pledge $1,000, and did you think the ap-
preparation Of 81 900 from the county
still left lack of the Substantially
your club desired? Elk City was fortu-
nate in having one public spirited
enough to make special trip to Grange
vile, at his own expense, to pilot the
Get Together club across the great
difficulty that confronted them. (This
is truth without diplomacy, Mr.. Parsons,
but that it is truth cannot be denied.)
We might as well tell all, though, and
on your suggestion say that there are
still few who will not see the Sub
stantiality" of that fund until the road
is built and their notion to contribute
comes too late for their money to be &C.
ceptable.
We think, Mr.. Parsons, the matter
has been fully explained, now, but with
your remark, "Give the devil his due,
as we'll as the editor" you open
new debate, in which we are forced to
follow.
We are not on good terms withlthe
devil, but we will do the best that we
can by the fellow, likewise Mr.. Parsons.
You say, IF it were not for pioneer
Grangeville or other border towns along
mountains foothills, the woodsman,
mountaineer, and 'would-be-miner'
would never venture into the vastness
of the hills beyond to search for hidden
treasure. With all due respect for
Grangeville, members of its clubs, the
tillers of the soil on Camas prairie, and
to you, Mr.. Parsons, we say your logic
is contrary to all history. We. were
born on farm, and have great SYM
pathy for and interests in things on the
farm, but it was not in search for land
that would raise crops that caused the
human race to scatter out from "the
cradle of history" along the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers to people the earth.
Lydia wealth and power came through
it's seamen who made long cruises and
brought back gold from places, history
knows not where. Romans in search
of precious metals led to the early set
Element of the British Isles, and the
discovery of America was brought
about through the ambition of the Span
ish crown to find a shorter route to the
gold fields in the East Indies. BARGE
Iona, then, Mr.. Parsons, was the
Grangeville along the foothill and the
1900 miles of Atlantic ocean was the
mountain the "would-be-miners" had
to climb. The conquest of Peru was
made by gold seekers from Spain when
ST. Augustine and Santa Fe were the
Grangevilles along the foothills. Even
in our own land history proves that the
seeker for gold has paved the way in
the wilderness. 1t was SO in California,
it is so in Alaska, and, we are told that
it was SO right here in Idaho county,
that Elk City was, during the placer
days, place of several thousands souls
and that before "Pioneer Grangeville'
was known. So you see, Mr.. Parsons
where this giving the devil his due
leads to-"
We don't want to close without thank
ing you for the many noble sentiments
you directed our way, which you 81
nicely expressed and on which we agree
so well. You no doubt knew thai
1 we are of kindred mind, and it appears
to have been an act of providence thai
one of the most loyal citizens of Grange
vile and one of the most loyal citizens
of Elk City should in friendly ex-
change of thought healin way the I'm.
friendliness that it is said has existed
between the two places so long. W.
would make one suggestion. We giv'
space to your article, just as it ap
peared in your home paper. We coult
not treat you with fairness without oul
readers having both sides of the ques
ton. They are the judges. You thinl
you are right, Mr.. Parsons; we thinl
we are right. How are the readers o
the Free Press to arrive at a just yer
dict when they have read but one sid
of the case? Please remember that tn
columns of Mining News are Away
> open for contributions from the people
and particularly from those who enter
tain opinions contrary to those expresse
by the editor. We think that you
article in the Free Press was entirel
,, uncalled for, and that by it and throug
. it you have misrepresented the edito