The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-07-17
Il VOICE FROM CALIFORNIA,

Il VOICE FROM CALIFORNIA.
Hearty Endorsement of the Advance
Politics and Farm,ng--Erils Of Large
Furms-No Ctunce for the Poor-Go
on Il, the Good York.
SANTA PAULA, VENTURA Co., CAL. !
June %, 1879. !
EDITOR ADVANCE: I read your pa
per with much interest. It contains
more news of general interest than
most county papers. and i'll free thought
it takes the lead. l like to see an edi-
tor lay aside all selfish motives and
stand up fearlessly for truth and right
as you are doing. We should have re-
spcct for the opinions of others, no mat
ter how widely they differ from ours,
and be willing to subject our particular
lsm or creed to the severest scrutiny in
order to learn the truth, but such has
not been the case. The man who dared
to raise the lids of that ''sacred Book"
and question the truth Of it's contents,
was branded "Infidel" or "Atheist''-a
man TO be Stunned by all good people.
But am glad that better day is dawn
ing. People are beginning to have
more charity for the opinions Of others,
more religion and less ortholocy.-In
politics rs well as religion, there is room
for great reform. Why can we not
elect men to Office instead Of political
ringsp A half dozen men in county
generally control the whole county.
Cities are controlled in the same way.
: Men have to buy themselves into office,
consequently they care more for the
money than they do for their constitu-
ents.
California is waking up to the isms of
the day, and is making an effort for
honest government. The ring men OF
the county got worsteu not long since
in electing delegates to the State Re-
publican Convention. They found them
selves in the minority. The Chairman,
being one Of their number, refused to
put motions or decide points Of order,
but this did not mend matters. So they
withdrew from the convention in order
to break up quorum. Here they fail
ed also, and the anti.riny men elected
their delegates. Then the ring men call
edasecond meeting and elected their del
gates. Both parties repaired to Sacra-
mtnto, where the ring men were un;ln-
imously rejected.
The great strike and riots of 1877, al
though very disastrous, will accomplish
good in the end. There must be Il re-
Cancellation between capital and labor
before the dawn of better times, and
such great movements rs that of 1877,
set people to thinking, which is bound
to result in good. There are thousands
of laborers in California unable to OBJ
and acres Of land held by land specula-
tie tax is paid thereon. Many of these
''ranches' contain from fifty to one
hundred thousand acres. OF course,
they do not all lie idle. Many Of them
maintain large herds Of sheep and cat
giving but little employment to labor
ers. If these large ''grants" were cut
up into 1GO acre tracts and sold off to
AAiaNStA A'&ao Aat1AhNA-, WIZ "oulSA VlI~
deavor to get the most from a little,
then we might look for prosperous times
in California. Under the present sys-
tenn of farming II few men can farm /.
large acreage, but the yield per acre is
not nearly SO great as where few acres
are we'll titled. Fruit raising is prof.
liable business here but is yet in its in
fancy, although there are many old
orchards. But great quantities Of fruit
go to waste for the want of proper ia
cil1iics for drying. Old Californians
are kind Of come and go easy people.
They know nothing of economy, having
been used to handling money lavishly.
1t is hard for them to come down to
bedrock times. They have been used
to cream, but few years like the pres
ent will teach them something of skim
milk. We must learn economy if we
wish to thrive.
And now, Mr.. Editor, go on in the
good work you have undertaken.
You have wide field for operations.
Create, if possible, that good feeling
which should exist between all religi-
Gus sects. Stand up for honest govern
ment and, above I'LL, give us Il little ci-
ter in that village charter and stop a
few Of those malicious prosecutions.
Yours for truth and right,
r. TOECIITON