The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-05-27
Things One Remembers
By r. M. HOFER

1t would be we'll in these day:
of streamlined political planning
along lines of state and national
socialism, to give backward
glance at what some of the al
, legedly out-moded rugged in
dividualists did for this nation.
! 1t was my pleasure recently to
spend an hour or two talking to
such an individual, d. c. Jack
ling, of San Francisco. He is
rounding out three score and ten
years, stands well over six feet
in height, rides horseback, and
! looks as if he could still hold his
own in a rough and tumble argu-
ment.
He started, as did many an
other ordinary American citizen,
thirty to forty or more years
ago, with big ideas, tremendous
energy, and no cash. He had
confidence that he could profit
ably mine and beneficiate the
great mountains of one or two
percent copper ore at Bingham
Canyon, in Utah-Something that
was contrary to all precedent, and
with which no one had had the
imagination and courage to be-
lieve was possible.
He conceived the idea, was
engineer and operating executive
in the application of it, but only
after several years of intensive
appeal was he able to secure suf-
ficient financial backing to dem
onstrate his plan. In the past
thirty-three years the adaptation
of this one mans idea has revo-
lutionized the copper industry
throughout the world.
The skeptics said he was a
fool, an exploiter, etc, etc, but
the four original mining develop
ments which he started in four
different Intermountain states,
and still directs, have, alone, in
the past thirty-three years pro-
duced more copper than was
produced in the United States in
all preceding time. South Amer
lea, Africa and other mining re-
gion adopted his methods in add
ing vastly to the copper produc-
ton of the world.
Mr.. Jackling pioneered in the
development and use of electric
power transmitted in large guam
tity over distances as great as
forty understanding that had
never been done before. He
broke presidents in every direc-
ton for the advancement of hui
man welfare. He became re-
sponsible for the employment of
tens of thousands of men, di-
rectly, and hundreds of thou
sands, indirectly, through indus
tries allied with the expansion of
copper production and use.
We hear lot of political talk
TODAY about it being necessary
for the government from now on
to develop our natural resources,
rather than encourage production
from them by regulated private
enterprise, Who in government
has ever done a tenth or a hun
dredth as much as single men
like Jackling who have develop
cd our mines. our oil resources,
our railroads, our hydroelectric
and steam power, and so on
down a long list. This country
and its people have profited by
their courage. their vision and
their tireleSs energy.
1t will be a sorry day for our
people who enjoy the fruits of
private enterprise. if our future
development is ever placed in
the hands of bureaucrats whose
goal, too, often, is to promote
votes to perpctuate parties and
clques in power. rather than to
secure business like advancement
and use of our country's re-
sources.
Government can well cooperate
with industry in planning and
development, as well as cunserv-
ing our natural resources. Help
ful government cooperation viii
mean vastly more to the nation
than antagonistIc political attack
that DESTROYS private enterprise
and initiative, the very founda-
ton Of our American system OF
government which is the oppo-
site q state and national social
ism