Jeff now inquired of Mike if he didn’t consider it a great injury to the country in general, but more especially to the working classes, shutting down the hydraulic mines, consequently taking such a large amount of money from our circulation?
“Ah, yis,” said Mike, “indade thin ’twud be a blessing to ther workin’ men of ther counthry to have that same in circulation among thim, if they was afther handling much of the same; but, me b’ys, I tell yez that ther workingmen of the counthry have but little opportunity av aither saing or handling much av ther same at ail, at all.”
“But,” queried another, “in the circulation of money each one gets his share, does he not?”
“So he ought, thin, if he was afther earning the same; but divil a bit is he afther doin’ anything ov ther koind, an’ for this raisin, me b’ys, that if that same was ther rule, why, ’tis plain enough, do yez moind, that ther more gould there was afther bein’ scattered about among us, ther greater quantity aich one av us wud be afther gittin’ hould ov, sure. But do yez moind, thin, it don’t wurruk that way at all, at all. It is not becase thim b’ys who hev scraped togither ther biggest share ov money are more selfish than any the rest ov thim, devil a bit, but, b’ys, ’tis in ther nature ov gould itself, which is afther follerin’ a law of its own, begob! an’ has a way ov scrapin’ itself in a hape into ther hands ov a few of ther b’ys, who have already more than they are afther having any use for. And ’tis for that raison, b’ys, that in me own opinion ’tis jest as well for that gould to remain in thim hills where it belongs, and kape it out of their hands.”
“Ah, Mike, but that’s a wrong idea you’ve got about money,” remarked Jeff. “Fifteen millions a year from the money circulation means poverty to many a poor family. Why, what would your little ranch be worth, with its grapevines and its peach trees, if we should all quit mining? Ain’t it us miners who give you a market for your stuff?”
“Oh, yis, me b’y, to some extint ’tis thrue that we depind on you miners to buy much ov our stuff, but not entoirly, thin, begorra! Ain’t it thrue ainough that as ther yaild from ther mines decreases other industries are containually improvin’ ther whoile in ther same proportion, be jabers? Indade, thin, to hear some of yez old miners talk, we’d be afther thinkin’ that if mining wud stop entoirely the earth itself wud stop revolving upon its axis thin, an’, be jabers, all human affairs, too, would jest be afther remaining stationary. But divil a bit wud sich a state of affairs occur at all, at all! Thim river mines and ther quartz ledges will continue to yaild sufficient gould for ther business of ther counthry for hundreds of years yit, without the necessity in me own opinion ov coverin’ up and destroyin’ ther property or ov fillin’ up ther straims below.”
“Oh, yes,” said the old hydraulic miner, “that is all very well, but what’s to become of all of us miners who are depending for our living upon the hydraulic mines, and how are we to support our families?”
“Be jabers, thin!” answered Mike, “yez can be afther doin’ what a hape ov other ould moiners have done, thin, who loike meself couldn’t make a dacent living at ther business, begorra; fince in thin a paice ov the sile, an’ plant into it thim grape vines, ther fruit trees, an’ ther loikes ov thim, an’ be jabers yez’ll be afther foindin in a short toime that ’tis ther best an’ ther aisiest way ov fightin the battle ov life; lyin’ in ambush for yer inimies among the grape vines an’ trees ov ther paich orchard, or skarmishin’ with distiny from behind a gardin fince, begorra! For do yez moind, thin, an’ ’aint ther taties, ther cabbages, ther fruit trees an’ ther loikes of thim, afther growin’ ther whoile whin yez are slapein. Now, me b’ys, jest be afther doin’ that same and yez niver’ll be sighin’ or gravin’ for ther loss ov thim hydraulic pipes that are ther whole toime throwin’ thim grand ould hills into ther vallies below, be jabers!
“And indade, thin, in obsarving ther immense power ov wather, the aise and ther great ripidity that yez have in washin’ away thim big hills from above, I have been afther thinkin’ to meself what a foine hand ther Prophet Mahomet wud be after houldin’ if he could only descind with his followers from ther heavenly regions above, an’ strike bottom up in the Sacramento valley.
“Wudn’t ther b’ys jest, with thim hydraulic giants, be moighty willin’ to accommodate ther auld gintlemen, whin he demanded one of thim big hills above to jest be afther comin’ down to him thin, an’ they wud sind it down to him by the aisiest an’ quickest mode of conveyance, be jabers; they wud ship it by wather, C. O. D., comin’ on demand, do yez moind, an’ begorra! wudn’t ther ould gintlemen jest be afther houldin’ a strait flush, thin, faith an’ he wud.”