The Cordova daily times., 1918-07-09
LiNcOLN'S MESSAGE TO THE
MINERS

The miners of the west have been
hard put to the task of keeping their
great industry moving. SO far, al
though one of the most vital agencies
available for the winning of the war,
it has been the least favored of all.
The government, OF course, has a thou
sand serious Governments in hand,
but somebody at Washington should
be able to spare the time to give the
great mining interests OF the country
the much needed attention. That the
operators have thus far been obliged
to play lone hand, and in an un-
friendly game at that, can hardly be
accounted for as an unintentonal over
sight on the part of the administra-
ton What with soaring wage scales,
eXorbitant prices for all kinds of equip
ment and operating material, unprec-
edented transportation troubles, labor
agitations, and an unstable market,
the miner is experiencing more than
his share of grief during the war
period The once flour!shing industry
has been severely crippled; the oper-
ators are having a desperate time
keeping the wheels turning.
Common sense would seem to die
tate that the government lend all pos
sibie encouragement to the metal
loneei 1t is imperative that this In
,dustry be maintained at the highest
po?ible point of productive efficiency,
as a war measure of utmost import
ance. Then, in the reconstruction per
led that will follow, the demand for
precious metals will far surpass all
previous records. For this reason, II
for no other. we should see to 1t that
our mines are prepared to meet this
demand with heaping measure.
Through no other channel will it be
possible to contribute so effectively
to the processes of rehabilitating the
war-torn countries that will ensue in
the wake OF peace.
Quite by accident we happened re
Gently to run across Lincoln's mes
sage to the miners OF the West. It's
Significance is no less striking and
timely today than it was in 1860. II
is worth while noting also, as point
of additional interest. that the mes
sage comprised one of his very last
utterances. intrusted to Speaker Col
fax of the house of representatives on
the afternoon preceding his assassl-
nation. At that time Mr.. ColfaX was
preparing for a journey overland to
the Pacific The message follows:
"Mr Colfax, want you to take a
message from me to the miners whom
Won visit. | have very large ideas of
the mineral wealth of our nation.
believe it practically inexhaustible. II
abounds all over the Western coun'
try and its development
has scarcely commenced. During the
war. when we were adding a couple
of millions of dollars every day to
our national debt, | did not care about
Encouraging the increase in the vol
ume of our precious metals. We had
the country to save first. But now
that the rebellion is overthrown, and
We know pretty nearly the amount
of our national debt, the more gold
and silver we mine, we make the pay
ment of that debt so much the easier.
Now, | am going TO encourage that
in every possible way, We shall have
hundreds OF thousands OF disbanded
soldiers. and many have feared that
their return home in such great nun
bers might paralyze industry by fur
nishing suddenly q greater supply OF
labor than there will be demand for
/ am going to try to attract them to
the hidden wealth Of our mountain
ranges, where there is room enough
for all. intend to poin
them to tho gold and silver that wall