Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-12
WHAT ARE THE DRAWBACKS TO CALL
FORMAL

Theodore 5. Van Dyke, author of The
Still Hunter" The Rife, Rod and Gun in
California" is an Eastern man, and trav-
eled one, who has made his later residence
in California Evidently he is a cult
waited observer. He has published
a book on this State which prom
inent Eastern publishers have given to the
public in a form testifying to their appre-
citation of the commercial value of the
text.
Mr.. Van Dyke has something to say
about objections to California worthy of
more than passing notice, for when we
are viewed with other eyes we should care
fully examine the criticisms that result,
and draw wisdom from the observations of
the witness, or take issue with his errors
In response to the question, What are
the drawbacks OF California ?" he refers to
such matters as the pest of squirrels, occa-
sional drought, insect assault upon fruit,
etc, none Of which are as severe he finds
as are similar ills at the East. He corrects
an error sometimes entertained, that our
4" dry season" is one of drought and our
wet season" one of foods Our market,
he states, is far distant from Us for leading
products, and our home market for corn,
hay, potatoes, eggs and similar products is
limited and easily glutted. He points out
what it is essential we should all impress
upon the stranger, that California is now
no place for the worker who desires to be
his own master at once, with absolutely no
capital but his muscle. But he qualities
this by the following expression, which
has in it so much of suggestion that we do
not refrain from its literal reproduction:
There are plenty of openings and always will
be, for the honest, energetic workingman with
a fair amount of gumption," who will make
his employers interests his own, The Chinese
can never supply the large and increasing de-
rnand for such men. The Chinese only fill the
place of the man who drops his half-raised |
shovel of earth back into the hole at the sound
of the whistle or bell rather than toss it out; of
the man whose fayorite motto is that 3" 1t is as
cheap to play for nothing as to work for no.
thing meaning by nothing anything less
than the very highest wages ever paid; of the
man who saddles his horse and starts for the
GROCERY when his employer starts for town
and of the man who never does anything except
what he is specially told TO do. Such are the
majority of the white men whose places are
here filled with Cinnamon, because the China |
man is no meaner than they are, and is much
cheaper. But no one considers q Chinaman
half a substitute for reliable white man.
Mr.. Van Dyke should have called atten-
ton to the fact that there is a pressing de-
mand for certain grades of skilled labor
that has not sufficient response. As, for
instance, the invitation for skilled labor
ers in domestic service. The Chinese
largely usurp the places now, but if there
this order, we believe it would Gust the
Chinese by natural and rapid processes.
OF course when the Mongolian shall have
been further eliminated from the problem
we viii expect the special immigration
westward that certainly has not yet set in.
He notes that the Investigation of in
dustries on the farm so that products too
cheap to haul to market may be turned
into pork, beef, chickens, butter, etc, :" is
fast making the Cutting of the home mar
ket of little consequence" and he adds
reflections of moment upon the opening
up anew of the fruit shipment to the
East, and the broad possibilities before US
in that direction. But it is clear that Mr..
Van Dyke, whose disposition to be fair is
undeniable, has not studied the fruit ques-
jion from the central and northern Cali
fornia standpoint, else he would have
been led into much broader and more in
teresting details and speculations.
What the Eastern man means by "get-
ting Government land " does not apply,