The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-12-21
OREGON
AND IOWA
COMPARED
Reply TO Some Unfair Com
pariSOnS.
Letter to the Atlantic, CaSS
County, la, Democrat.
Salem. Oregon, Dec. 2.

NAlem, OFeROu, btC' -
To the Editor of the Cass County Democrats
have been interested in a contro-
versy between Mesors. Murphy, of this
city, and Miller, Of Iowa on the respec-
tive merits Of Iowa and Oregon. AS a
native son OF Iowa who has lived twelve
years in Oregon it seems TO me the
debate has been given an unfair twist
to both states. Oregon is not to blame
because che has not the boundless black
soil prairies OF Iowa with their unlimited
capacity COR producing wealth in the
form of corn, hogs and cattle. Iowa is
not to blame for not having her western
border washed by tn Japan current and
her climate tempered and removed from
the possibility of sudden change by the
presence Of the boundless Pacific as an
equalizer OF temperature. | shall never
90 back on old Iowa as the richest and
grandest agricultural state in the union.
We do not claim Oregon is great
money-making country, not near as
great in the aggregate as Iowa, but
money-making is not all there is TO life,
| pride myself on being able to make
money where anyone can, and felt this
way in coming - Oregon II could get
into a milder climate and still make
money, | would be that much ahead
in the game Of life. And 30 1t has
proved. With my two brothers we
have been in Oregon for twelve years
and have done reasonably we'll in max
ing com Portable homes, building up
good business, and enjoying life az only
the millionaire class can in the east.
All the wealthiest can do in the east is
to go the ocean or the mountains in
summer for a change, and that is the
privilege Of the poorest and the custom
OF the people here generally. They do
not get the benefit Of the reaction pro-
duced by great changes from heat to
cold. So the farmer, the business man,
the fruit grower, the cattle man and
miner take their families TO the seaside
lOI "a DlOlNn VI wv W gum hANAH AfNNfNNN
at from the standpoint Of enjoyment OF
life, and it is as great a source OF wealth
as money-making, the individual In
general is richer here than he can pos
sibly be in Iowa 1t is true AS Mr.. Mill
Ter says, he cannot live on climate and
scenery, nor can he live without them,
and where he has the best climate aud
the most beautiful scenery the year
around he has the best chance for deyel'
oping in the highest sense Of the word
The man who has no feelings for snch
things ard no conceptions above hogs
and hominy cannot appreciate tbs Pa
cidc coast, although thousands here are
obliyious TO the beauties OF nature.
Yes, there are failures here az every
where. People are roped IN by real
estate sharks aud mining sdy'nturers
like Letson Ballet aud they are mostly
eastern people with turn for specula'
tion. There are good lands and Tad lands
aud poor lands. and rouRh lands. The
climate il 50 entirely different and u
Western Oregon there is a great deal o
rain aud mist in winter, and the hrs
year or two eastern people get homesicl
and hearisick. aud don't make none!
as last az they expected aud some q
back. inst as some went back from th
land Of Canaan and reyelled IN th
feshpots Of Egypt. The land Of CAnaa
il described in the Bible 40 land iow
ing With milk and honey, where n
, harvest extended into the vintage an
} the vintage into the seedtime. That
the truest picture Of the coil and elims'
of Western Oregon over penued. II ha
r all the peculiarities Of western 0re'
Britain, the land Of the holly aud mistl'