The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-08-03
HOW CALIFORNIA WAS BENE-
FITTED.

FITTED.
The RECoRD-UNIoN continues to re-
ceive scores of Eastern papers daily that
were represented on the May excursion
of the National Editorial Association to
the State.
It is simply out of the question to pub
lish, or even refer to all the extended
comments by our late visitors. 1t may
be said, however, that seven out of ten
are complimentary and intelligent. Only
the very few have made errors or in
dulged in adverse criticism. Even in
these latter cases, the objections to Cali
fornia are not to her claims, but to her
remoteness, the heat the visitors en-
countered, and misconceptions by some
of them, due to the rapidity of the tour,
Or failure TO comprehend facts presented.
But the great mass of the critics ex-
press surprise and wonder, and statisti-
cally and otherwise admit and prove
California's claims to be just. They all
bear witness enthusiastically to the beau
ties and variety Of our scenery, the mag
nl1cence of the territory, the greatness
of our resources, and the wonderful fer
tility of California soil, and above all, to
the uneqGaled hospitality of the people
We shall make from time to time some
further extracts that will serve to illus
trate what the Eastern judgment of the
State is, and that will be valuable as
hints to our people. We have made a
careful calculation of the amount of mat
ter that has been published by these ex-
cursionists regarding California and the
trip that is at all worthy of consideration,
and we find that to date there have been
presented in over 800 out of 800 papers.
from Maine to Texas and Idaho to
South Carolina, about 5000 letters: that
these, at low estimate, average more
than two and half columns each, giving,
say, a total of 1000 columns of matter.
OF these, about 800 columns have been
repeated from dailies into weeklies, max
ing $500 columns. Besides, in one in
stance the California letters have been
grouped in pamphlet form and many
copies issued, that bring the total up
much higher, considering the pamphlet
circulation to equal that of a number of
rural papers.
Estimating the letters yet to appear
that will relate to other coast sections,
since some of the correspondence has not
gone, as yet, further than the Oregon
line, some include Portland and some Sc
attic, and we have, in all probability, to
credit publicity concerning the coast to
not less than 10000 newspaper columns
of matter. One Eastern editor, in sum-
ming up and counting quotations of let
tiers by papers not represented, places the
figures at $4,000 columns, but this is
probably incorrect. It is entirely within
reason to say that fully 10000 columns
have been written by the excursionists
about California and the trip to it,
If now we assume that these news
papers have circulation, dailies and
weel<lies grouped, of 45O, 900, on the basis
of l,500 each, many having 5000, a few
5000, and one or two in excess of the lat
ter figure, and we have the fact that ESQ.,
600 publications have been and are to be
made of critical, statistical and other mat
ter concerning California and the Pacific
Coast, extending over a period of seven
teen weeks and circulating in thirty-eight
States, exclusive of the Pacific States. and
reaching, according to the standard basis
of readers to each issue, more than o.
100000 of people.
1t is obvious to any intelligence that
tins is a very modest estimate and calcu-
lation. 1t is clear to every mind also that
this wide publication has given and is
giving information concerning California
and the coast throughout the Union that
could not have been secured in any other
way so effectively. As result the people
of the Union viii be greatly more intelli-
gent concerning this part of the national
domain than ever before, and that in con-
sequence the State and coast will take on
great deal more of importance in East
ern estimation, and that our claims upon
national attention will hereafter be more
easily pressed, while representations con-
corning our invitation to home-seekers
will be received with greater respect and
credence by the people of rural America.