White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-12

| climes. Railroads there were none.
the nearest railroad point then being
twelve hundred miles away. The
telegraph had arrived, but the OK and
mule team, the stage and the pony
express were destined to be the mode
of travel and communication and the
only avenue of commerce for some
years to come. A few, who were not
entirely blinded by the lure of gold
and silver, saw in agriculture and
kindred pursuits a slower, more
modest, but more certain, fortune.
The most accessible waterways were
applied in a crude way to irrigation,
and agriculture, that industry which
must eventually share equally at
least with mining in the permanent
greatness of our state, had its be-
gininning.
The convention of 1864, in prepar-
ing a constitution, of necessity build
ed for the future rather than for The
present. With the foresight of true
statesmen, they formed an organic
act that was designed not only to
accomplish the immediate purpose of
| statehood as a legal entry, but n
which was broad and comprehensive
in its scope, as is evidenced by the
provisions for public school system,
the real foundation-stone of the true
greatness of any state. No other
article of the constitution better IL
Illustrates the foresight of those pio-
heel statebuilders. They provided
the means for a splendid common
school system; for a normal school
for the education of teachers, and a
university which, by express provis-
ion, should embrace departments of
agriculture, mechanic arts and min
ing-three branches of learning
which were deemed would prove
most valuable to the people in the
development of the states natural
resources.
1t is also interesting an1 instruct
ice al this day to read the debates
in that convention, particularly upon
the subject of education. Tue care
fulness with which the subject was
considered, the time devoted for the
future. but to determine in advance
that certain lines of instruction
of practical advantage in the develop
ment of his new country should be
given prominence.
Nevada fulfilled the political pur-
pose which brought about its crea-
ton. 1t did more. The half billion
dollars of precious metals which 1t
turned into the lap of the nation
during the years of the war and in
the decade Immediately following,
not only went far to maintain the
credit of the country and enable 1t
to resume specie payments at least
a decade sooner than ii otherwise
could. but the precious metals from
Nevada mines have played no small
part in the progress of the world. II
is impossible to estimate or even
imagine what has been accomplished,
Is being accomplished, and will con-
tinue through all time to be accom-
plished by the gold and silver which
Nevada's mines have produced. We
know something of what a portion
of the wealth has accomplished un-
der the direction of one master-mind
that of John w. Mackay. We know
how he, through its medium. has
brought the people of all nations in
to closer communication and in
closer relations, and how, through
that same medium, his son and sue
cessor is today extending that great
instrumentality of civilization. Gold
and silver coins may be regarded as
litt lCu anu hhitC OipuSSiCo vi ~
life-blood of the world, and Nevada
has been. and still is, one of the great
storehouses of the l~ife-giving ele
ment.
Such, in brief, has been the gen
eral history of our state. 1t is a his
tory of which no Nevadan need evel
be ashamed, but on the contrary ma,
be of just pride. Small In popula
tion as Nevada is. its influence hal
been potent In the affairs of the ma
tion and the world at large. 1t hal
freely yielded to the world the mil
lions of dollars in precious metals 1
mines have produced. They, by theil
inherent properties, belong to thu
world. The great Architect of the
universe placed them in our hills fol
a purpose. and that purpose was