The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-23
SENATOR GEopGE c. PERKINS.

| teaches, in this age of idleness and day OF
| tramps. that if man really wants yyorE,
he can find it or even make it. any day he
will
When Perkins worked his way to Cali
fornia by water, still common sailor, he
took his blankets and cooking kit on his
back and footed it to the gold mines in the
interior. Now, there is a.tradition in the
minds OF the newer generation that for
tunes were to be had in those early days
for the picking up, but the cold. frozen fact
is the gold mines of California did not pay.
They did not pay, first and last, even so
much as 80 cents per day for the labor ex-
pended. And such labor, Sixteen hours u
day and giants in strength and endurance
swinging the pick. For one man who made
a fortune (and you heard Of him onlyJ at
least 25 had TO fail Perkins tried this
mine and that mine, this camp and that
camp, this thing and that thing just like
10000 others, falling in everything losing
everything but the true pluck in him
which made him dare the sea when not big
enough to do work on land At last he got
a footing as porter-swept out the store
slept on the floor and cooked for the clerks
and proprietor. Then he became a clerk.
then partner, then proprietor; then his
old instincts for the smell of tar. and be
bought river boat; a feet of boats finally;
ships next, and he, took possession of the
Pacific ocean through the Golden Gate
from Mexico to Alaska.
California made him governor, not that
be wanted or needed TO be governor now,
but she needed and wanted him He made
famous head for the grea; Golden State
l knew him well for the first time when
we established a state Arbor day. Let Us
plant that big barren island with trees and
have 10000 children help US. Governor
Perkins will give US ships. Adolph Sutro
will give US trees to plant. General Howard
Will give Us soldiers TO make the grounds
ready TO receive them, and we will have
such an Arbor day as never yet was" This
is what the wife OF John Vance Cheney.
the poet, said TO the sailor lad one evening
as We crossed the bar Of San Francisco,
'and it was So" There never has been
such gala day il the state-sDch booming
OF guns. sea OF banners. 1900 children IN
white, simply because sailor had said 50
You get a whole lot OF anecdotes about
such men, and all more or less fiction. lie
is a learned man, truly learned and schol-
afly man, Notwithstanding his hard car.r
life, but the opposite party used TO tel the
following story 70 illustrate his poor kn0wl-
edge OF geography;
You don't dare strike me with that
cat"
And why don't dare cut you with the
cat"
Because, mate. I'm from Maine. and 4
Maine IS the middle of tie United State 4
In answer TO this Perkins nsde ne star 4
ting statement IN his stump srs-ech tAat 1
California i IN the middle Of he Iri.ad 1
States. said he knew be szas right. because
be had ships running 70 AlaskA and thss II /
was about "a far 70 Alzska As Il was Il, 1
Aaine- No one had thought of Il hefo-e.
bHt a glance al the rlap si8zesi sss irserzx.- i
1goyzs hesrers thai California ~ gexsraoa-
c4siT SfesEfn- IN ore way AZ fezSs last
> oof:t ;E t5s T. sdE3ae Ct toe ( asfez3 Sssfss
Md territories SoRGFfx A.-LEa