Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-09
CALIFORNIA; INFLUENCE ON THE
WORLD,

As we stop today to think of our state
on her fortieth birthday, it is interest
ing to contemplate her influence on the
other states of the Union, and on the
student of human history. He has said
that England has made more material
progress in the century now drawing
toward its close than in all previous CEN
turies from the landing of Cesar-that
is, eighteen centuries. The fact is sensa-
tional in its simplest form OF statement.
But the progress of England has been
slow as compared with that of our own
country during the century. Again, the
development of the second half OF the
century, both in England and America,
has been vastly more rapid than in the
first fifty years. California has exercised
larger influence in bringing this about
than all the rest of the world combined.
The precious metals are to enterprise as
water to a mill. The greater the volume
of fluid that goes over the wheel, the
more the stones may grind.
Just as the middle of the century was
about to be reached, that grain of yellow
ore was struck at Suffers Fort in the
mill stream. For forty years a steady
stream, of enormous volume, of silver
and gold, has been poured into the cur
rents OF the worlds commerce from this
state This stream has run at from $50,
600, 10000 to 800, 100000 year since 1870,
the last twenty of the forty years in
question. Ii it is averaged at $40, 900, 900
we get grand total of the precious met
ais in the last twenty years of $780,
100000. If we assume that it was the
same for the twenty years preceding, we
have grand total OF $3,400, ,000, 900 fol
the forty years. And if in these figures
we have included the territories cognate
with California it will not invalidate oul
argument.
The four western states and terri.
tories, led by the pioneer of all, Califor-
MIA, is still pouring into the laps of the
nations annually nearly 100000 900 OF
the precious metals. There is the main
spring that gives motion to every gigan-
tic industry of the age.
1t was the gold of California as much
as the men of New York, Pennsylvania
and other states that made it possible
for our government to carry on
the late war and hold the Union of the
States intact.
California's mines are not by any
means exhausted, and the treasures
she will still pour into the laps OF the
nations in the future will be as rich as
those OF the past. Her gold and silver
will still supply motive power to many
enormous enterprises whose measure
will dwarf even the greatest of those
achieved. But instead of one influence
going forth from this great state to WV
future, there will be new one added
more important than the old After
twenty years of mining, and little effort
at any other enterprise in this state,
mems minds were turned to the
broad plains and sunny hillsides OF
the state, and streams OF grain
as yellow as gold have, during
the second score of years, added to
the wealth and comfort of men as great
ly as had the flow of precious metals
from the mines. simultaneously with
this development came that of fruit
growing and the best food that evel
nourished men.
So the young state stands today on
her fortieth birthday, the most potent
factor in the life of our great nation
Her pactolean stream of the precious
metals will keep the busy wheels o
industry humming. Her streams o
golden grain will feed the muscle anc
brain that guide the flying shuttles and
that direct the spindles. And hel
streams of luscious fruits, her oil anC
wine and all the varied products o.
her soils, made perfect by her sunny
cline, will give more perfect health tc
the toiling millions in every village il
the land. There is something about {
state that is so set on a pedestal among
the people of the earth to make us all bt
proud of our heritage in her. We will
forgive the Native Sons and Daughters O
the Golden West if they are little
demonstrative in their love of the lano
of their birth today.