The record-union., 1892-07-13
WHY BUSINESS IS DULL.
More Farmers Needed to Build Up
California.
The Cause of the General Business De
preston and Cure-Short-sfghte
Policy of Landowners.
[san Francisco Examiner, July 11th.l

lSan francisco Examiner, July 11th.
TO the Editor of the Erami,aer-SI /:
Business men accomplishing about the
dullness Of trade and thinking back
fondly of the days during the '70s when
stocks were booming and erybody had
money.
There is no Disgusting the fact. Cali
1ornla has not progressed in proportion
TO the tremendous natural advantages
she possesses over other States.
IN 1875, and for some years before and
after, the wealth of Nevada was pouring
into this city, hydraulic mining was in
full pitch of operation III the Sierra Ne
vadas, and millions of dollars annually
flowed into San Francisco. The trade OF
our merchants extended to Oregon,
Washington and British Columbia on the
north, and to Arizona and New Mexico
on the south. What fruit was raised
found ready market at good prices here,
and our wheat loaded fleets of vessels for
Liverpool.
But after while the Northern Pacific
Railroad and the Oregon Short Line of
the Northern Pacific Railroad cut off
the trade i'll the north, and the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa F'e cut off the Arizona
and New Mexican trade. Thus were the
markets destroyed and the trade of our
wholesale merchants confined to this
State alone.
True, some additions were made to our
population by immigration, but not
enough to compensate for the loss to us
by reasons above given, and where once
was a large number of enterprising
wholesale merchants there are now only
few, and they are grumbling constantly
about depression in business.
ONLY 10000 FARMERS.
BY the census of 1880 California had a
population of l,250,000 people. OF this
number about 100000 reside in San Fran
cisco, Oakland and other towns around
the bay, at least 300, 900 more in Los An
geles and other cities and towns adjacent,
and 100000 more reside in the other towns
throughout the State, leaving as the en-
tire population in the valleys on farms
less than 100000 people, which would in-
dlcate that there are in the entire State
less than 10000 farmers. in which are in
cluded fruit-growers and producers gen.
orally.
Now, as all wealth comes from the soil in
some manner, what Is needed are more
workers and more extensive cultivation
Of the soil.
This result is not to be secured by reso-
lEtions, not by saying it ought to be
done, but by putting into active opera
ton such plans as will bring onto the un-
occupied land people of industry and in
telligence.
People wonder why this State does not
I'LL up more rapidly. In the oyer-popu-
lated Eastern States there are thousands
OF earnest, industrious and frugal people
who want lands, and this is evident from
the fact that when there was prospect
OF reservation lands being thrown open
in Dakota few months since to home
stead and pre-emption thousands of peo-
pie camped on the border and rushed in
to secure lands when the signal that they
might move was given. So also at Okla
homa, where 10000 or $4,000 people gath
cred and engaged in mad rush for land.
THEY DO NOT RUSH HERE.
They don't rush here because Califor-
MIA has no nice Government land. If
land suited to the plow could be had here
for .$25 per acre all the equipment of the
Southern Pacific Company and other
lines would be insufficient to carry the
people who would come to California.
The landowners Of this State instead
of demanding 800 per acre for unlm-
proved land would offer it at $40 or $50
per acre, and good annual crop of
purchasers would be insured, who are
numerous in the Eastern States and who
want homes here.
The San Joaquin Valley can support a
population of 100000 of people, the
Sacramento Valley as many more. There
are parties in San Francisco owning lands
in the San Joaquin Valley which cost
them about Sl2 per acre, and for this they
now ask S65 to 500 per acre.
All over the State it is the same.
Somebody has had a prune tree near
Visalia that one year had on it l,lGO
pounds, of prunes; another man in
Tulare had forty-acre tract of prunes
which one year ago yielded S24, 900 worth
of fruit; somebody in Fresno County got
$500 an acre for some raisins one year,
and many landowners got 5000 per acre,
hence all who own lands in these coun-
ties say: sour land must bring us 500
per acre or we won't SELL"
Well, they don't sell, and when the
Assessor comes around in the spring the
land is valued at from So to $40 per acre.
DISCoUNTING THE FUTURE.
The landowner discounts the future
and gives the 'tenderfoot' no chance.
though he must purchase trees to plant
and prepare the ground and pay for
water, and wait three or four or five years
for some returns.
If land were sold at reasonable figure
and owners would tell the prospective
purchaser that he would have time to paw
for his land, they would get some good
IOSulbSs II bICy 81 duSGGlJS6 Us 10
give facts, bring the purchaser and land
owner as near as possible to each other
without the Intervention of too many
middlemen, let advertising be legitimate
newspaper work and not bulky, gaudy
pamphlets, the results would be vastly
greater.
Land can be bought enough in this
State to-day to afford homes for 100000
people, but it cannot be sold at the pres
ent prices. Those who want to sell, who
want to encourage immigration, must put
their price low, and if only they offer
one-half the cultivation Of it will demon
strate its value and the other half may be
sold high, and the products of the soil
will put new life and vigor into the arte-
ries of trade and send new life through
out the entire State.
II. M. Won ARMAN.
San Francisco, July 10th.
New COok-pm told the TnisSrS wants