Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-28
WINGFIELD DEFIES
GOLDFIELD ROUGHS
Hiuh Graders and Their Friends
in Office and on Jury
Cause Trouble
LAYS THE BLAME TO POLITICS
Threatens to Move Camp to Con-
SoIidated Ground if Present
Injustice Continues
LAYS THE BLAME TO POLITICS

That Goldf1eld is one man TOWN.
and that politicians had better quit
their arguments to the contrary II
GoldfeId is to remain on the map is
clearly seen in an interview with
George Wingfield, president OF the
Coldheld Consolidated Mines company
Wingfield, the man of grit and luck,
threatens to move the camp, or at
least to make a new town and do away
with Goldfield. He says his company,
the Goldfield Consolidated, can get
along without Goldfield and that so far
as politics is concerned his company,
the biggest and majority taxpayer
in Esmeralda county, might nave
something to say in the future as TO
how things there should be run. lie
infers high-graders are condoned IN
crime by elements opposed TO law anu
order cropping out in high places III
the camp.
"Goldfeld is getting better every
day, in spite of its enemies on the
outside. whose only interest is in stock
speculation; and its enemies on the
inside, whose only interest is per-
sonaI," says Mr.. Wingfeld. "Those on
the outside are harmless. Those on
the inside. while they cannot aneeo @
the Consolidated, unfortunately nave
in their hands the making or the
breaking of the town.
"Our mine is a part Of the camp,
but not necessarily a part OF Gold
field. There is room enough in the
camp for both the mine and Goldheld.
'"The Consolidated owns enough
ground in fee simple to accommodate
a town of its own; and has sufficient
strength and sufficient interest In the
welfare and contentment of its en-
ployes to provide for their comfort,
regardless of Golddeld.
NOT YET IN POLITICS
''In spite of the charges of certain
persons who live by politics and others
who hope to, the Consolidated has not
been in the political game; but If 1t
had been, or if in the future it should
be, it would be with ample justihca-
ton The Consolidated is not only the
largest taxpayer in Esmeralda county
but is a majority taxpayer; in other
words, it pays more money into the
county treasury than all the other
taxpayers of the county combined. IL
the Consolidated pays, as 1T does, more
than half the salaries of county Off
cials it might be excused for sharing
with other taxpayers some concern as
to who gets the money.
1.-The Consolidated is not running a
company store but if it wanted to it
would; and it would not hesitate to
place its name in large letters on the
front door.
Moreover, it could guarantee such
a store ample patronage. If it chose
to open such a store it would do so
regardless of elections or other politi-
cal considerations. 1t wouldn't wait
until after election day to open, and it
wouldn't close for succeeding cam
paigns.
Il have always tried to be a friend
of Goldfield. as have others who are
interested in the Consolidated. How
long this spirit will continue depends
upon Goldfield. I am very certain
that the Consolidated can get along
without Goldfield. AS to whether Gold
field can get along without the Con-
solidated 1 will leave to those men
whose profession is politics to deter
mine l still have some interests in
Goldfield, but have more in the Con-
solidated.
DIVIDENDS TALK
'"There has been a good deal said
about knockers on the outside of the
camp Let them knockl Goldfield's
dividends speak for Themselves. One
knocker on the inside does more harm
to Goldfield than a million on the out
side. Occasionally they knock to-
gether, with the knocker on the out
side doing the prompting All the
knockers on the outside have never put
q man in Goldfield out of employment
or a merchant out of business. The
knockers on the inside have done both.
The attitude of the Consolidated to-
ward both classes of knockers has thus
far been one of indifference. It is SIM
ply a matter of business Judgment as
to how long that attitude can be main
tained.
"a small bunch Of political mischief
makers has been engaged in an effort
to array the people of Goldfield against
the Consolidated for the purpose of
boosting themselves into office, if not
something worse. The Consolidated has
given the people something substantial.
What have these mischief makers ever
given to Goldfield or what have they
to offer in exchange? 1t looks to me
as though the time had come for the
people of Goldfield to decide which they
prefer-what the Consolidated has to
give in the way of employment, pros
perity and further development, or
more of the nothing which these men
have been contributing.
KICKERs MADE OIL CITY
"There is a town in Pennsylvania
known as Titusville, where the first
oil wells in western Pennsylvania
were driven. There were certain ele-
ments there which made it impossible
for the principal company to do busl-
ness. And the town Of Oil City was
the result. W. hear of Oil City very
often; but who ever heard of Titus
vile?
"The Consolidated company is com
mitted TO the policy of declining to
employ a high-grader or one who af-
filiates with high-graders in any or
ganization that encourages high grad
ing. 1t has the same use for a high
grader in it's mine or mill that a
jewelry store would have for a thief
behind its counter. J. a high grader
or man who Is known to associate
with those who encourage high-grad-
ing is found in our employ he will
be given his time. IF the company
cannot put the man in Jail who robs
It, it can keep him out of the mine and
the mill
"It is common talk around the streets
that the Consolidated company cannot
secure the conviction of a high grader
by a fury in Goldfield. Fair minded
persons will realize that the Consol-
dated company has never had any de-
sire to see an innocent man convicted
of crime, but has the same desire that
any victim of thievery possesses, to
see guilty men brought within the pale
of the law. IF the time shall come
that q man who steals from the com
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