The herald., 1893-06-07
MORE ABOUT STATE DIVISION.
Cogent Reasons Advanced in
Favor Of the Question.
A Review of the Political Trades on
the Issue.
A Logical Argument which Covers all
the Points and which Brings Ont
Number of Features Worthy
of Consideration.
rBYL.U. WAsHBURN, |

men, and less number OF newspapers,
here In the southern part Of the state. TO
hush the people into comparative si-
lence upon the all important question OF
a division OF the state into two common
wesltba. While not an active partisan,
the writer has been watching the trend
OF public sentiment the past ten years
upon this great, and in many respects,
most vital question to the future welfare
and greatness Of this part Of California,
and am fully convinced that at heart,
and in the sound business judgment OF
eight out OF ten people south of Tehach-
ipi, and majority of those living be-
tween the latter point and the north
line OF Fresno county, the people want
to be set off into separate state govern
ment.
But somehow, the politicians of both
the old parties got together two years
ago. and In effect resolved that while we
might sometime in the dim and distant
future want to secede, that at present
we don't wish to, if men OF the north
will only help ue elect our candidate for
governor, we'll have him frown the thing
down, and it ehall not be made an Issue,
nor agitated. Well, the north had the
wool pulled over their eyes, and helped
nominate and elect our governor, and he
has made good one, with the excep-
tion that he has done all in his power to
carry ont the bargain and sale that sold
us out upon that occasion.
Now for one--and think could say
with propnety for thousands-I want
to repudiate any such sale, and refuse
any further delivery.
imagine there was time in the ex-
perience Of these alleged seamen upon
the Englieh vessel recently lost by fire
on the Pacific ocean, when the officers
and men found there was a Ere In the
hold and their efforts were first bent to
put it out, falling in that. the hatch
ways were fastened down and every ef-
fort made to reach land, before the fire
should burst out, but alas, the time
came when the iron bands could no
| longer stand the pressure, and the cruel
flames burst forth and sent the poor
mariners a6oat upon the periloue voy-
age with more chances OF death thar
life.
Thus it must soon be at least to the
political ambition, of those who try to
to hold down the hatchway, and keep
this burning question of state division
smothered out OF eight. 1t must and
soon will be, question that cannot be
hid or smothered in the hold of the ship
of state but will demand the active CO.
operation, and favor OF all classes-at
leaet in the south half of the state.
Before going further l would like to
say that am not in favor of state divs-
1 ion upon the small and childish grounds
OF lack of justice by our northern breth-
rem, or any of the small chickering's SO
frequently induiged in between news-
papers and prominent or uon-Frominent
men of the two ends of the state. Such
things amount to nothing-are only the
result OF mature children making faces
at each other.
The real grounds for division OF the
state of California into two states are
many and meritorious, but chiefly are
First-The state is too large and its
climatic conditions are too varied to
have many laws that are essential to
one part apply to other parts OF the same
state with equal advantage, while in
some respects that which would be of
very great benefit TO one section is either
not necessary or desirable, or might
prove harmful to the other extreme of
the Same; irrigation and email land
holdings, for instance.
Second-The productions of the south,
middle and northern California vary so
greatly there is little interest held in
common between the two sections.
Third-The holdings of land in small
quantities in the eouth vary 80 greatly
there ia little community of interest and
great inequality between the two sec-
tions.
Fourth-A wheat ranch Of three, five
or ten thousand acres in San joaquin or
Sacramento valleys is often not assessed
at more than 80, 80 or 100 acres here.
Fifth The state is too large in terri
tory to properly admit Of that autonomy
which is for the best advantage and
truest economy and welfare of it's people.
No other state but Texas admits of
stretch of nearly ten degrees of latitude,
or 750 miles north and south line within
its borders.
The talk that maguifies the greatness
Of largo state, in territory or popula-
tion, is only another way of magnifying
the power of monopoliee and Office
holders, and keeping the workings of
the machinery of staie and legislation
40 much farther out of the eigh6 OF the
people governed. Every true principle
OF our government requires that we
should combine to bring the law-making
and law-executing power just as close to
the people as possible.
Does anyone believe that il the state
of California had not contained more
than 800 or $50 miles square lin place of
300x750 miles as 1t does,) with the capi-
tel near the center of population, there
would have been such An unbroken
series OF corruption and bad legislation
the past 40 years? 1s not nearly every
good citizen almost In despair OF any i'm
provement while things remain as they
are2 Many legislators, when they get
300 to 500 miles out of sight from
their constituents frequently trust dis
tance to hide their shortcomings and
imperfections. No state should be ter
ritorially go large that the people may
not essily know the private life and
conduct of their servants, whether leg
islative or executive.
1t may be we'll doubted il there is an
other etate in the union where there has
been such uniform complaint of ignor.
ing the will of the people as in Califor-
MIA, and this is only the legitimate fruit
age OF having our laws made end exc
cuted by men so far away out'of sight,
save to covey of 'local statesmen, for
revenue chiefly within a radius of 100
miles from the Golden Gate.
Monopoly and class legislation has
been written and plastered on almos1
every page Of Caliiornis's history and
| laws since 1S49, and it is time for re.