The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-12
That CLIMATE.
William Allen White Writes of
Familiar Phase of California.

The following letter from William
Allen White was published in the En-
poria Gazette:
Earth is pretty much the same the
world over And air is the same: but
the difference in the temperature of the
air in various clinnes and sections, make
the difference in men and animals and
plants that grow on the globe. In Cal
ifornia these differences coming in one
state make an excellent exhibit in
comparatively small geographical area
of half dozen different climates
Though much has been written of the
glorious climate of California" no such
thing exists. The climate of Los An
geles is glorious, so is that of San
Diego approximately, so is the climate
of some parts of San Francisco and its
suburbs; but in the northwestern paxt
Of California where there IS long
rainy season and in the south
eastern part of the state where rain
water is kept as a curiosity, the ell
mate is like that victory which Adj
miral Montijo won for Spain over Ad-
mira Dewey at Manila, sad but glorl-
Gus" So badly jumbled is this hit or
miss piece quilt of a climate of Cahtof-
MIA that a railroad ride of two or three
hours brings the traveller from semi
trOpic to temperate, from temperate to
the snow line And yet the CaIforn-
ians are ever beWailing the sudden
changes OF the climate of the middle
west and east. Nor is this all. Every
day in the year the thermometer jumps
further than it does in Kansas Today
one may work in an unheated house
in his shirt sleeves. Tonight an over
coat is necessary if one ventures
abroad. After 3 o'clock in the after
noon the temperature begins to sink
rapidly and there are not a dozen even
lngs IN all the year when one may SIT
on the porch-even in Southern Califor-
MIA. The porch is a kind of architee-
tural veFmifOrm appendix in California
In Kansas it is like the potato ball, the
hest part of the fruit One naturally
farcies that lovers would delight to
stroll of nights through the fragrant
orange groves, under the palms and
among the blooming roses. Perhaps
lovers do, for love never has chills up
It's back; but the rest of the world puts
on its heavy wrap and SCOTS for
home.
We have been here in Southern Cal
ifornia now from mid-winter to the
edge of summer, and the days have
been all alike. The trees have been al
ways green, the flowers blooming, only
the green of the hills has deepened.
This deepening has been the onlN hint
of spring. They say the green of the
hills will fade soon to a nile green and
from that to pale brown. But the
eucalyptus trees-which shed their bark
will retain their foliage, the oranges
will bloom and fructify, the lawn
grasses will glisten, the evergreen
hedges viii not tarnish and the flowers
will keep their brightness everywhere.
To one who holds in dear memory the
splendid procession of the seasons with
its kaleidoscope Of changing days, Cal
ifOrnia's petrified spring must assume
the monetony of death. We met Kan
sas woman at dinner the other night
who has sent her 11-year-Old child back
to Kansas to learn what the words
winter, spring, fall, and summer, mean,
AZ
appreciate their significance and en-
joy the literature of the English speak
ing race. This fact is set down to show
how even the most delightful environ
ments have their faults and how Kan
sas with all its sins of omission and
commission in temperature and humid
ity has more climatic virtue than is or
dinarily accredited to her. It may be
thus with most other ladies' who are
talked about as Kansas is.
And that brings US naturally to the
social conditions here. For when one
talks about California society, immedi-
ately and naturally the subject of di-
! Vorces comes up. Undoubtedly the per
I cent Of divorced people in Southern Cal
ifornia is larger than it is in many other
portions Of the country. Californians
/ lay this to the climate-which is prob
! ably wrong. California is populated by
| a larger per cent than other states Of
/ people who come here to avoid hot
1 weather. anu Cut0 weather. anu wet
| weather. and for no other reason. PeO-
| pie who came to Kansas came because
they were willing to endure hardships
to have a home and be prosperous
! Thousands Of Californians coming from
/ every state in the Union were unable
to endure the rigors of climate at home.
! Comfort, which was scorned Of the re-
bellious devils when they decided to
/ have their own way and migrate
/ to hell, comfort is the prime con-
sideration of large numbers of
Californians. And when a man or
a woman puts his own personal COM
fort above the happiness of a home,
when he decides he isn't going to
/ stand anything-divorce becomes not
only easy but inevitable. Briefly it is
this way: a man who viii leave home
! in Kansas to avoid the heat, will also