Year: 1877

Heretofore the demand for unskilled la
Dor has exceeded the supply-men were
not so much compelled to Hook to en-
ployment from others as source OF live
lihood. The mines wore open to all, and
though the returns were not always re-
nunerative, yet still, thousands of those
to whom the ups and downs of mining
life were familiar, preferred this uncer-
tainty to Shaving for Others at fixed rate
Of wages. There was a feeling of inde-
pendence, Joined with hope that some
chance would open to do better, which
! buoyed the worker up and cheered him
OIL in his daily labor. Again, the country
was beginning to develop new industries,
railroads were being built, large tracts Of
land inclosed and put under the plow,
and just across the mountains, in Nevada,
the silver mines opened field for the
labor of the unskilled workman which
| looked as fapparcntly unlimited. Thous-
ands who possess no capital but the
strength of their hands crowded to the
Pacific States to share in the general
good fortune. But to-day these oppor-
tunities for the industriously disposed are
abridged TO an alarming extent. The in
PRODUCTION Of new appliances into placer
mining have usurped the places once
held by woT king men, and that species Of
mining is now more work of mind than
muscle. The pipe and giant now do the
work which it once took a dozen or score
of men to perform, and the workers were
compelled to look for other avenues to
employment. The rains of Winter were
insufficient to mature the crops and that
branch of labor, which usually gave a
season of employment to thousands, is
curtaiied to n great extent. And Neva-
da's mines do not afford employment for
her own people stockholders have tired
of paying assessments in the many mines
where prospecting had failed to bring any
returns, and in the few which still de-
clare dividends the working force is re-
nouced te its minimum, until thousands
Of unemployed, destitute men roam the
streets of her cities. From Oregon alone
the reports come favorable for those who
live by the sale Of the labor Of their hands.
Throughout California, and especially
from Its Southern counties where the
harvest is lightest, como to US the reports
of men tramping from place to place in
Of - Al
bread. We, Of Trinity, who are happily
located off the main lines of travel, know
nothing of the evil except by hearsay.


In the East, the tramp question has
been one which has exercised the people
for many years. There is no doubt but
there are many, who make pretense of
seeking work, only for the opportunities
It gives them to beg, or to steal but
again there are thousands of other cases
where the tramps would gladly work if
work would be given them. so it is and
will be in this State. Those most ant to
come to suffering will be the ones who
least deserve to suffer; the professional
tramp can beg or theve without shame
and thus exc out living. Cases of suff-
ering, from which the unfortunates, after
strong struggle against adverse fate
have sought relief in death, are beginning
to be published. One who left the brief
record that he was "sadly discour-
aged" had tramped for two months in the
vain search Of work, before rushing upon
his fate.


This is the problem with which our
people will have to deal ere many days.
Our system Of farming is one which is
bad for the workers, inasmuch as it af-
fords employment for only brief part of
the year. Nor does placer mining offer
any hope for men without capital, cxcept
to II very brief extent. To add to the
trouble while we do not know how those
already here are 70 be employed and fed,
each train from the East brings its quota
OF immigrants, mostly Of the laboring
class, who think if they can only reach
the Golden State their troubles will bs at
an end. Across the ocean, too, comes the
Chinese, thousands at n time, to still fur
ther complcate the question. In the alb
sence Of Congressional restrictive Legis-
lation to check the incoming of these
Chinese hordes, there should be q move
ment toward di;countenancing their pres
ence here by refusing to employ them in
any capacity. The two tides of labor,
one setting across the continent from the
East, the other across the ocean from the
West have met in collision upon our soil.
With which have we the most in COM
mon-the cooie labor of China, or the
free labor oPour own countrymen ? There
Is and can be but one answer to this ques
ton, and if we follow out the course
which that answer should inspire, it
would lead US TO aid those with whom we
sympathize and have something IN COM
mon, rather than the human cattle which
are shipped here from over the sea. The
labor question is becoming serious one
and one which will have to be met and
grappled with before our State is much |
older.


The Nevada Gazette tells us that an
old channel of rich gravel has been traced
out IN Washington Township in that
county by means Of "divining rod - in
the hands of San Francisco man. The
gravel claims i'm the locality have al,,o,,.