The San Francisco call., 1898-12-21
NOT PAUPERS
 NOR OBJECTS
 OF CHARITY
Drought-StriCken Farmers Simply Want Aid to Tide
 Over a Bad Season.
BY (. E. EDWORDS.

KING CITY, Dec. 2O.-Nothing has been more surprising to the people of this part of the State than the hysteri cal action of the Examiner in rushing food supplies to this city for distribu- ton. AS l stated in my dispatch of yesterday there is no immediate need for food for the people, no urgency for assistance, nothing but a grave condi- tion which is confronting these people owing to lack of rain and shortness of crops
 The ready response of Claus Spreck- els to the request of Governor Budd and his advance of S25, GOO to the State was all that is required to meet the condi- tions that are present and nothing but expressions of gratitude are heard on any side for his noble deed On the oher hand there is nothing but con- demnation of the precipitancy of the Examiner in making display of the requirements of the country to adver- tise itself, and while those who are profting by this unseemly haste are taking the goods they are, at the same time, denounciEg the paper for it's methods.
 -4@ AelN AS eAAC H4GlAI cAS V clS OuAiAIlCu III my previous dispatch, that the crying need of the farmers is feed for their stock to tide them over until the farm CTS shall be able to help themselves. These people are not in any sense of the word paupeTs, nor do they solicit charity. They simply desire to be tided over bad time until they shall be able to help themselves and repay whatever shall be given them. Their live stock n had condition, have exhausted their credit at the stores where they have been trading, and now they are confronted by a state of affairs that compels them to call toi aid from the State at large. If they are given this aid they will stand on solid ground and continue in the future, as they have been in the past, self-respect- ing citizens.
 No blame or censure can attach to the merchants for withholding credit. for they, too. have their limits of en- durance which have been reached. The local stores can no longer furnish sup plies and the farmers must have feed for their stock and seed for their fields or face ruin What the people want and what they ask is to be helped to help themselves. If this help is given by the State 1t will reclaim a prosper 0us community and the $25, 900 advanced by MT. Spreckels is amply sufficient to meet all kA GSGl4L 4E4 L4- CA44EAllos l Ll4S money should be invested in hay for the stock and seed for the fields. It is possible that many families will need further assistance and this would best be rendered through the County super 'vis0rs, who are cOnversant with the conditions and who are best able to tell who are worthy of aid
 There are many men in the wide ter ritory embraced iI the district men toned in my former dispatches who would take advantage of the ineXperi- enCed charity and who would rush to accept food if it were prOmiscuously of fered, but the great bulk of the people here are self-respecting and will resent the implication that they are public charges. If they are consulted in the matter they will prefer to accept the assistance as 2 loan and repay it when times are more prOpitiCuS. l have spent three days studying the situa- ton, and while 1 have been compelled to listen 10 all sorts and conditions of men and to accept without question the stories of men who seemed to be re- liable, my conclusions are that the commissioners appointed by Governor Budd should proceed with great care and they will then find that the money placed in their hands will be amply sufficient to meet all requirements as they at present exist. They will find that the farmers need hay to carry their stock through and seed to put into the ground to be ready for the possibility of rain. There will be a possibility of the need of certain cash to enable the farmers to reclaim their horses from pasturage and to enable them to tide over a short time of strin- genCy
 Rain has fallen to-day and the indi- cations are that the drought is broken. If such be the case there will be no need of further assistance than the check of MT. Spreckels will furnish Should the drought continue there will be ample time for the Governor to take such further action as may be deemed best, without theatrical display or hysterical effort on the part of a vel low newspaper. As the case now stands. the crisis has been met and when the money is distributed the dan- rrnr will he aNarted.