Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-26
STRIKING COMPARISONS.
Plain Talk to the People of YoIo
County.

W. H. Mills, the speaker of the evening,
was then introduced. Although the hour
was late and the speaker labored under the
embarrassment of a consciousness of that
fact, he spoke with a mastery command of
his subject matter, and held the
close and pleased attention of all
intelligent auditors for fully an hour. Mr..
Mills had originally been invited to ad-
dress the Business Mems Association, and
at late day had been informed that he
would be called upon to speak to the men,
bers of the National Grange. The speaker
made brilliant success in his effort to
entertain and instruct his dual audience
No attempt will be made here to make a
report Of his logical and scholarly speech,
and the following rapid resume of its main
points conveys an inadequate idea of its
depth and scope.
There is hope for that community in
which the business men are found alive to
its needs. When the business men Or
ganize for the common good, something
etfectual will be accomplished. 1t is
serious fault in our American society that
the business men do not manifest the in
terest they ought to feel in public affairs.
In all our large cities the business men as
class neglect their duties of citizenship,
and permit the municipal government TO
fall into the hands Of the venal element.
The purpose of the speaker was to discuss
community growth. He once saw rare
and beautiful painting that had left its
lasting impression upon his mind. 1t was
of forest In the foreground was cabin
and in its doorway sat a trontiersman in
hunters garb. The twilight shadows were
deepening, and as the smoke curled up
ward from the hunters pipe, he raised his
eyes following the smoke to the tops of the
trees, and there his gaze rested dreamily on
phantom city with all its proud appoint
ments and adornments. The painting was
named THE Pioneer'5 Dream" The CITY
hovered over the pioneers head in a rev.
erie as it has hovered over all American
communities in pleasant anticipations. 1t
is dream in which Woodland perhaps is
lulling itself even now and as long as she
dreams, and merely dreams, her hopes will
prove as evanascent and as insubstantial as
the smoke that floated the pioneer city,
Community progress is of inward growth
a development of natural resources by local
capital and enterprise.
The speaker here instituted striking
comparison between Fresno and Yolo.
When the visiting Patrons had come 10
Fresno they would find as beautiful pic
ture as was ever laid out under the sun.
They would find there a vigorous bustling
city of 10000 people and miles upon miles
of orchard and vineyard environing it.
They would find climate not more salu-
brious-they would find a soil not more
fertile than blesses Yolo county. The
speaker would remind the guests of the
evening that they were now in the very
heart of the very richest portion of Califor-
mia. The soil of Yolo county in its pro-
ductiveness rivals that of the most favored
sections. If gathered together the fruits of
this soil would represent every zone. The
date, the fig, the peach, the apricot, the
prune, and every manner of deeiduouS and
vinouS fruit luxuriated in this soil. Here
the orange ripened from six to eights weeks
earlier than in Southern California. Will
our visitors realize when they look upon
the beautiful city of Fresno that when a
sheep ranch covered its present site, Wood
land was young city of $500 inhabitants?
When told that while the lands adjacent to
that city were on the market at 81 30 per
acre, lands in the neighborhood of Wood
land was selling for 500 per acre, what
would they think? As to climate and soil
Fresno claims no advantage over Yolo,
while as TO transportation facilities it costs
her more to reach the markets of the
world. Whence, then, arises this differ
ence in the prosperity of the two places
Why IS it that Fresno lands command
comparatively twice the price put upon
lands here, which years ago were held at
$100, while those there could be had for
81 80 an acre? Must we not seek for an
answer to these questions in the difference
in the spirit of enterprise in the two COM
munities?
The speaker then took up the subject of
irrigation and spoke of the grand possibil-
tiles contemplated by the scheme of using
T ;,l+
rigation system that would cover Yolo Co.
lusa and Solano counties. Merced people
had spent S., 200 900 in the work of form
ing Lake Yosemite, by which they propose
to store water for irrigation. 1t would
barely take S25 600 to put the waters of
Clear Lake under perfect control for irri-
eating purposes, and make them available
for $50 times the supply of water that the
Merced system affords.
Suppose Clear Lake had been located in
some of the southern counties. Do you
not think that long before this an enter
prising people would have availed them
selves of the inestimable blessings it offers
for the taking? This beautiful body of
water is too near us to be appreciated The
speaker asked, have you in Woodland
public library? 1t is only in these mod
ern days that the wealth of rich and
boundless literature is placed within the
reach of the masses. Remember that cul-
ture and the adornments of refined society
increase property values and insure the per-
manency of the community.
Have you park? Have you laid out
public gardens? Have you explored the
earth beneath you for natural gas and
artesian water?
The speaker maintained that it was the
duty of every business man to identify
himself permanently with the town which
supported him by its trade
He next referred to the anomalous fact
that land values in California do not pre-
serve that ratio to density of population
which is tine common rule. By cheap and
rapid transit new relations between widely
separated countries had been brought
about at the beginning of the century
the distance between New York and Liver
pool was 5000 miles. Now that distance is
practically 200 miles. Then it took sixty
days and 500 to make the passage now
the trip requires eight days and IS. Hence
the new relation which easy and quick
transportation has established brings the
climate of distant lands into close compe-
tition. By this means the climate and the
cheap facilities of one country are exported
to another.
In Belgium the average production per
ldOOrer Is thirty DusnelS, Wnlle II Callf0r-
mia it is 1000 bushels. Herein is COM
parison which discovers California's i'm
mense advantage, and reveals why it is that
our lands are valuable because production
is abundant and cheap. The valley of the
Pc contains 1000 square miles less than
the Sacramento valley. Yet the popula-
ton of the former is 100000. and of the
latter barely 100000. What an empire
might this valley be if the soil was cult
vated with the fidelity which enables OO0,-
600 people to maintain themselves prosper
ously upon 1000 square miles less than is
cultivated by 100000 OF us.
In conclusion Mr. Mills paid an eloquent
tribute to the Patrons, and in beautiful Pc
riods suggested lofty and patriotic senii-
ments. evokiDg at once response of noble
emotions and burst of applause that
seemed to cease with reluctance.
SILVER COINAGE.
Views of a New York Bank President
on the Silver Question.
WAcurEcTor