Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-18
DIVISION OF THE STATE.
HOW IT IS VIEWED BY PROMINENT
MEN DOWN SOUTH.
An Editor who Thinks the Question
Should be Fully Fairly and
Calmly Discussed.

a division OF the State, Tor reasons Which
have been given at length. we give plac,
to the following communication from John
WATSON, editor of the Chino Valtey Chan,
pion in order to show the sentiment OF
the people in Southern California upon
this subject:
CHINO, SAN BERNARpINo Co., CAL, }
May u, 1890.
EDS. RECORD UNION: An editorial ap.
peared IN the s. r. 4ha, of the Sd in.
slant, on The Division of the State, "
which indicates that the editor of tina:
paper is beginning to see this matter in a
different, il not in new light, and that
1t is worthy of treatment on a little higher
plane than that of sarcasm and ridicule.
1t may as well be accepted and discussed
upon its merits Slurs about busted
booms" and ambitious politicians are
altogether beside the question, have no
sympathy with the slurs of our own people
about the northern citrus belt" or any
attempts to treat any other part of the
State with contempt. | have been travel
ing this State from end to end and side to
side, on different routes and by different
conveyances, for over thirty eight wears.
and have never respected the writings
which aim to belittle or depreciate any part
of it. Even if divided, as / have recently
come to believe would be good policy. I
would heartily desplse any effort tending
to underrate either of the new States or
the new and reduced old one. | know
and so does any person of average knowl.
edge about affairs, that the division of the
State is simply remote possibility: but
for all that, ii may be right thing ii
done and therefore right to say so and in
sstupon. This letter is not intended as anv
argument IN point, pro or con. 1t simply
is intended to call, or Try TO call, halt in
sectional abuse and Misrepresentation.
The fact Is, and you ana all others who
discuss the question of State division. NAV
as well accept ii as a fact, that large
majority of old and new settlers in the fine
southern counties, so far as | have been
able TO learn their views by personal inter
views and expressions in the local papers.
favor division OF the State; and Won will
not dispute the fact, or / don't think Won
will, that higher average of intelligence
does not prevail among an equal number
of people on the globe than does among
those who favor State division. They do
not favor 1t from spite, jealousy or politi-
cal ambition. but from an honest conyic-
ton that the general welfare of the people
down this way would be better promoted
To say that it would not be, might be an
honest opinion but not demonstrated fact
The counties of San Diego, Los Angeles
Orange, Ventura and San Bernardino en-
brace larger area than Ohio and have
greater variety of reliable resources,
exclusive of climate which you and
all Californians admit has a great
value in coin as well as in health
and comfort. Don't for a moment
think the people of these counties do not
fully realize what a new State means as to
cost and influence; they are no kids. They
embrace the best minds from nearly all the
old States, including the northern part OF
this State. They fully understand the ODDS
against any early division; to be tainted of
their present inability to succeed will never
prove their cause unjust.
In February the Alta fiippantly said the
agitation was dying out" but that there
would be "a renewal of it about the time
another citrus fair is to be held in Sacra-
mento valley The holding of another or
thousand citrus fairs has no more to do
with the agitation than they do With the
trade winds or the ocean tides Probably
few ambitious politicians do favor it, but
politicians are generally men of sense and
anxious 10 be on the popular and right
side but you will find the move favored
by men OF all political faiths, by men of all
professions and all occupations-Native
Sons, too Many men that you honestly
praise for public and private usefulness are
very ambitious politicians. So l might
go on to show the shallow, groundless
causes that your leading journals acribe for
the State division movement, but it would
be folly to say more, if what | have said
1nr,'t sat IS, L. !
of public opinion to thinking Alright about
this matter and to treating it for what it is
"a well.grounded belief in the wisdom
and justice of it independent of what the
other part of the State can grow, do, etc.
Thousands of people down this way
would actively favor division but for their
belief that success is impossible, or so re-
mote as not to be of much interest to them.
The Los Angeles Times frequently expresses
itself in about this strain. Given proba.
BILE show of division in the near future, and
you would soon find but very few south of
Tehachipi Pass unfavorsble to il.
The frequent use of the term "bcsted
boom as term of reproach, or as sort of
argument by many men and papers north
of Tehachipi, is destitute Of sense, of
truth and neighborly feeling. | bought
lots in San Francisco in 1869, and own
them yet. Reputable dealers advise ne
that | might possibly realize one-third
what paid for them. At the same time |
paid about 500 for four large lots in
Vallejo, and an agent there advised me
something over a year ago that it was
doubtful if could get $50 for the four, and
they are regularly assessed at $40 each. ]
could multiply these "reminiscences of q
boom in your section, but / won't. II
would not only be useless to do it. but
would be no sort of argument against the
high value of property all about San Fran.
cisco Bay. That city has prospered Nc
craze in sand or watered lots, or wildcat
mining stocks, or anything short of an
earthquake that should swallow it up Oh
destroy its unrivaled harbor, will for 8
single year retard Improvements in these
and surrounding towns.
Likewise, the boom of Southern Califor
MIA not only induced improvements bu
kept them in progress more and more
largely since the boom" in superfuous
town lots ceased. The best improvements
made in the history of San Diego, Los An.
geles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Pomona
and other places were made after the
boom" was as dead as last years birds
nest
Suppose the leading daily papers in and
about San Francisco and your section lead
of with fair statement of 1.-The case
drop ridicule, sarcasm and good deal o.
opprobrium in many forms. | concede
such course would not change general
and honest conviction down this way in
favor of State division, but it would be sure
to find kindly response from even the
most ardent divisionists. There has been
altogether too much slang. whangiug in
each end of the State, and the fact that
you fellows" have the oldest, most widely
circulated papers don't entitle you to any
more credit than if the case in this respect
were reversed.
The facts are about as state them. Il
you think them worth presenting to you,
readers do so, with such editorial treatmen,
as suits you. If you people don't like oul
goods don't buy them. for others will fol
all time. This is good State; it is big as
well as good. The people in it ought to be
happier than they are. Yours respectfully
Jnupr Wy .esnx-