The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-06

ties and possibilities have been but
scratched upon the surface. II I were
called Upon to. sum up the needs of ag-
riculture in this State in two words,
they would be, Diversity. Irrigation.
This subject would justify treatment at
great length can only suggest it, But
when you come to work out the problem
Of successful diversified agriculture you
will find irrigation an inseparable COM
panion.
with the relations Of the mines of Cal
ifornia to our growth in wealth and
population-how the discovery of gold
set the tide of immigration in motion
towards this State. AS an attraction
to reinforce our population it has ceased
to be an important factor: ard yet our
mineral product is about $25, 100000 an
nually: There are many features of
this industry inviting special attention.
1t is conceded by all who are at all
familiar with the subject that with q
proper reinforcement of capital intel
ligently applied our mineral output
should be more than doubled, and that
the mineral deposits of the State are
practically inexhaustible. What we
most need in this department of our
productive activities is a thorough geo
logical and metallurgical survey of spe-
ific mineral regions in our State There
should be an exhaustive exploitation of
our metaliferous mountains; and this
should at once be urged upon Congress
as a duty due to the State from the
Government of the United States. You
should unite to press this necessity
upon our representatives in Congress.
The climatic conditions which make our
agriculture so attractive and give to
our factories so great an advantage
over those located in the frozen regions
of the East, also serve to make mining
more attractive than it is found to he
in any of the other great mineral re-
gions of the earth We must attract
capital to bring about this development,
but we cannot do this effectively so
long as our mineral deposits are SO
largely terra incognitas
Closely related to our Agriculture, and
not far separated from, our mining prob
lens, is the question of our forestry
conservation. The General Government
has taken some most important steps
in this direction Practically all the un-
sold forest areas upon the western
slope of the Sierras. from the south side
of Lake Tahoe to the Tehachapi Mount
aims. have been reserved by the Govern
ment, and are now under its superyi-
sion. Similar action has been taken
along the timber elevations south Of the
Tehachapi which constitute the water
sources for the vast irrigating enter
prises of Southern California The
Government is meeting the objection
made to the withdrawal of the timber
from the market by selling stumpage at
reasonable rates. 1t has been found
that the law of growth and decay APP
plies to forests. The life of a. tree has
its limitations, when decay begins. The
Government reserves the right to select
these ripe trees for the ak, and requires
that the debris mast be burned, so that
the danger from future fires may be
avoided. We shall thus retain the sup
ply for the legitimate wants of that
branch of business, and we must con-
serve at the same time the most import
ant existing sources of our water sup
ply. This movement should have your
active support
You will be addressed. I understand,
upon the subject of the Japan current
and it's relation to our wet and dry
winters. need only suggest its I'M
portance. If the character of our sea
sons can be forecast a month or two in
advance its value can hardly be es.i-
mated
I am informed that the National Edi-
torial Association is to meet at Port
land, Or, in October, 1899. This assoc
citation has membership of perhaps
o'ouO newspapers in the United States.
Probably 500 or 1000 members will at
tend that meeting. You should organ
lie at once to direct the itinerary of
these delegates through California.
coming or returning; and you should
arrange to entertain them here for one
week by excursions into various PARTS
OF the State. These gentlemen are of
the highest intelligence; their profession
makes them keen observers. and they
are always ready and willing to tell the
world what they know and see. They
speak to the people in every county in
every State Of the Union. You should
utilize this great force in the crusade
for California development you are in
augurating.
l wish you would take up the study of
cur commercial relations with the conn
tries bordering on the Pacifc-I doa't
mean as affected by the Spanish war
but to obtain enlarged markets where
our products should go. We greatly
need quicker and more reliable access
with our mails and by our merchants
and traders with South and Central
America I have been informed that
much business goes to New York from
Central America which would come
here if transportation facilities were
bettered.
do not need to remind you of the i'm
portance of good roads, or your duty to
urge them. We owe much to your ad-
Vocacy OF this necessity for the ad-
vancernent already made
I cannot take your time further in
pointing out specifically those things
which make for our advancement in
wealth and population.
There is the matter relating to the
development of our water ways and the
Improvement of our rivers and har-
bcrs; there is the shipbuilding industry
which Irving M. Scott has shown NAV
probably reach large proportions here:
there are the many State institutions in
support of which so much of our money
is expended, as to which, important az
they are, I do not remember to have
heard a word on the stump or read a
line in the newspapers during our re-
cent campaign; there are the public
schools and the State University so
dear to US all; there are the many
methods to secure a more economical
administration of our public trusts
which you alone cam bring to public ar.