The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1898-12-23
The 9ealuGrat,
nfOrtunate Californians.

Ityou hear any one kicking ct the Or |
egon rain read them the following peti.
ton to the governor Of California, from
Monterey County:
To His Excelleney James Budd, Gov
ernor OF California: We, your constitu
ents, residents of Monterey county,
State Of California, and citizens of these
United States, would respectfully pre-
sent to your notice the following facts,
and invite your immediate attention to
the same, with the hope that you, in
your executive capacity, may be able to
devise some immediate means Of relief:
1t is we'll known that in this part of
Monterey county little or no rain has
fallen since g year ago last February.
This, with scarcity of rain for several
years previous, caused shortage of
crops in all those years, while this year
there has been an entire failure. As a.
result, in many cases, feed, seed and
family supplies are completely exhaust.
ed, and in many more are nearly so.
Cattle, hogs aud poultry have been dis
posed OF to meet our necessities, while
hundreds of cattle have starved to
death. Our poorest horses we have
been compelled to shoot, our next poor
er have been turned ont to shift for
themselves, or starve, while our best
horses are eating the last ot,our feed and
we have no means with WI ich to pur-
chase more. Some aresaway to pasture.
and we have no funds with which to pay
pasturage or secure their return. We
have nothing left to dispose of. Our
farms are mostly mOrtgsged for all that
can be raised on them, and moneyed
men and banks will loan no money on
even unincumbered real estate in this
part OF the country.
Merchants cannot possibly carry thi
vast eoncourse OF people, as they cam
not buy on the long time required by
the consumer. The milling company
will furnish no feed or seed until it rains,
and then only on crop and chattle
moItage, which, if given, leaves the
merchant without security and at once
stops family supplies, and the result
must be inevitable starvation.
There are families N this community
who have lived for months on shorts
and bran, others who have lived for
weeks on bread aad water, and scores
who have had neither milk, butter,
meat nor lard in their houses for week.
on weeks untold. Local committees
and county officials are feeding hundreds
but hundreds more which they cannot
supply are in reed, and the worst is ye
to come.
Hay for horses, bran for the COVE, th,
one pig and the few poultry which re-
main, and family supplies of all kinds ar
needed at once, and must be had or th
most direful results must ensus.
Those people are not spendthriit o
paupers. They solicit no charity. The
simply ask for facilities by which t
help themselves-mouey or supplies g
reasonable rate OF interest until they ca
secure returns or work at living wages
keep soul and body together. Others ar
cid and infrm. iotteriDg on the edge {
the borderland. These must be suI
piled. We make no suggestions as t.
methods. We simply present facts &
they exist and leave your mature judi
ment to devise the immediate remed,
Should you deem itexpedient to con
municats with Us for any further infol
nation address our Secretary.
Ey order of a mass meeting held i
lockwood Hall, December II. 1898.
ia. Miller, D D, n. D.,
Secretary.