Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-10-03
Stabbed in the Back.

About four months ago Mr.. JOHN
SON, of the Santa Babara Press, began
to develop his plan for more general
and extensive advertisement of South
ern California. His programme en-
braced that portion of the State known
as the five southern coast counties.
He visited the newspaper offices and
the business men of those counties,
and so far as we are informed, the plan
was universally endorsed by all--the
newspapers, without exception, lend
ing their influence to advance the
scheme. Mr.. JOHNSON employed an
eminent photographer-Prof JAMES
to travel over the country and take
Photographic views of the cities, towns,
groves, vineyards and other places of
Importance and interest. He was ac-
companied by an able writer-Colonel
HODGE-who carefully compiled such
facts, both statistical and historical, as
would be useful accompaniments to
the pictures. This work was done at
cost which, Mr. JOHNSON says, ap-
roximated $4,000. The remainder of
the plan-how these photographs were
TO be engraved and appear in the
Weekly PresS-how the circulation of
that paper was to be increased to at
least one hundred thousand copies; the
fn ~ @o
gether with the details of the pro-
gramme, we have already laid before
the readers of the HERALD, and they
need not be recapitulated. Encour-
aged by press and people, Mr.. JOHN
SON went on perfecting his arrange
ments and after an exhibition and lee
ture in San Francisco he proceeded on
his way eastward. He had hardly
crossed the Rocky Mountains before a
number of newspapers that had spoken
favorably of the enterprise and which
Mr.. JOHNSON had reason to believe
his friends, attack the plan which
they had partially or wholly endorsed,
and proceed to prefer charges of par
tiality and prejudice against him. We
do not, Of course, assume to know the
object of these editors, but it is appar-
ent to all that the effect of their adverse
comments will be to discourage those
who have promised to aid the scheme
with subscriptions and prevent the
payment of the larger portion of the
money. This is perhaps the object in
view. Ignoring the purpose, it seems
unfair to attack an absent man. 1t
looks dishonorable to do so when one
has been friendly, or pretended a
friendship, to his face. 1t is charged,
and we believe it Is the chief charge,
that Mr.. JOHNSON exhibited more
views of, and said more about Santa
Barbara and Santa Barbara county at
his exhibition in San Francisco than
of any other point. We do not know
how much truth there is in this, but
we will assume it to be true. Let it
be remembered that Santa Barbara
has contributed perhaps three dollars
where any other place has contributed
one dollar toward carrying out this
enterprise. We do not believe Mr..
JOHNSON will show prejudice against
any one point in the five counties, but
suppose he should be so unwise, and
by representing Santa Barbara to be
an oasis-a paradise-induce fifty or
nve Thousand people to go there, how
childish and silly to set up the argu-
ment that by so doing he will work an
injury to Los Angeles or San Diego.
Let the people once get to Santa Bar
bara, and they will soon find out for
themselves all about the country-its
advantages and disadvantages. We
distinctly remember that Mr.. JOHN
SON said on every occasion that it was
his purpose to give each place promi-
nence in proportion to the assistance
1t gave the enterprise. There is no
evidence that he has failed to fulfil his
promise In this or any other respect.
and until such evidence Is Forthcoming
1t is in bad taste to attack him; espe-
cially 80 when he is out of the State.