The morning call., 1892-01-01
a HBFPY sew YEAR.

I'd wishing tie readers OF THE CALL a
Happy New YraI il may not be cut of place
t look back and recall some memories Of
tile past They will be twice-told tales to the
Old. but 10 some o. ina rorng they may be
PES aka instructive.
The year 1851, unlike the year 1891, was in
California a year Of distress, turmoil and
anxiety. Tie exhaustion Of the ore bodies
in The Comstock in 1873 had thrown vast
bodies Of men out Of work and it took them
several years 10 find and fit into other en-
Payments. Meanwhile labor was not in
demand. work was scarce aud wages irregu-
lar. The new Constitution had gone partly
into effect il the summer Of 1873; its work
ing was attended with much friction, and
the objects sought by its trainers were not
being attained THESE discoveries led 10
disbursement ana disappointment among
those who had hoped great things from the
new Constitution and contributed not
little to the prevailing discontent
In tie Sacramento Valley the question Of
the day was the contest between the by
draulic miners and the farmers. 1t would
be idle at this late day TO reeapitulate the
arguments which were then in every ones
mouth but it is Instructive to note that the
farmers predicted the early destruction Of
both the Sacramento and the San Joaquin
valleys an2 aScribed the catastrophe wholly
to the work Of the hydraulic miners. Both
classes-miners and farmers-were in bad
temper and in no mind to undertake enter
prises Of public utility. The wheat crops,
both in 1880 aud in 1881, were large, and
tie prevailing priee-which averaged about
81 20 a cental-was not unremuneratiye.
Ddt the ~tHG- eIUs was small in compari-
son with that Of the ssrasent dav aud
the machinery by which it was sold at
the East was even more imperfect than
it is now. The raisin industry was in
its cradle aud was net seriously cOnsd-
cred at the East There were no ship
ments of green fruit TO the other side of the
mountains. Canneries had been started
some years previously and were doing fairly
we'll
The population of the State was about
$4,000, and that Of this city about $4,000.
Bu, tae proportion of the very poor f. per-
syns IN good circumstances was large. When
Tie output Of the mines ceased, it impover-
lshed thousands. 1t had been said that in
1873 there we're over 100 men in San Fran
cisco who were millionaires. Whether this
was or was not an exaggerauon, it is certain
that milli0naires were scarce in 1881. From
1915 10 1881, the shrinkage in the market
value Of mining stocks was S265, OOO, 600.
This was so much apparent property, pos
Sessng equal purchasing power with money,
absolutely wiped out. The loss was dis
tributed throughout the community. and
caused general Complaint of poverty.
EyeTything-real estat~ merchandise and
interests of all kinds--shareg Si.s seDreeia-
tiOn, labor sharing in the common misIOr-
tune.
The effect OF altered circumstances soured
peoples minds, and made them irritable and
unhappy. Many lost their energy and their
hOpefulness. They grew so careless of the
future that the Legislature neglected to ap-
portion the State as required by the new
Constitution. Immigration fell off largely,
and the wOTkmen who were here moved
away. if they could. Some tolerably level
headed citizens lost much Of their faith in
the future Of the State.
1t is time not wholly wasted 10 dwell for
moment on this sad picture, because it may
reconcile people to-day to the reYerses
which, at some time or other. it is the fate
Of all men to encounter. We enter upon
the year 1892 with no such just causes for
depression rs those which clOuGed the hori-
zon Of the California of 1882. There is no
boom pre6gured in the immediate future.
No wild specnlations are likely to loom up.
But the State promises. in the year which
begins to-day, to be fairly prosperous.
through the legitimate DEVELOPMENT of its
resources, and better acquaintance with
the social and economical laws by which
progress IS always governed.