The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1902-10-28
Compa risOns by J. p. Marks

AHTANUM. WASH, Oct. q, 1902.
EDITOR HERALD BY your indulgence
| will pen few notes as saw them and
now see in my home country compared
to neighboring countries all having the
same natural blessings and resources,
and while the governing conditions in
some respects are very similar, they are
very different in others as they affect
the great mass of common people, the
laborers, producers and home builders.
In all the Yakima county, Columbia
basin and Snake river valleys, the eli
mate is nearly the same, aud very much
like west OF the Cascade range in WASH
ington and Ore. Ion, except little colder
and dryer in the winter months, which
makes it very healthful and bracing.
AS We go farther south through south
ern Oregon and the full length of Cali
fornia, the climate is very mild, even
and healthful, not often colder in the
low valleys than mild frost and in
some localities no frost, and no degrees
OF extreme heat are felt. In all this ex-
panse of country where irrigation is
practical and has been developed, it
seems that an inspiration has visited
the communities and we can see Won
derful improvement in advance of nom
irrigated districts. In all this country
the toilers have stood the burdens of,
and endured and paid the excessive
freight and passenger rates that the cor.
porations have seen fit (by their divine
right inherently to impose on them and
when we ask our farmer members of the
legislature why they voted against the
just needs Of the toilers, they attempt
to make an explanation and wind up by
saying they thought it best to do so, or
because they wanted to.
The question of water supply in all
this beautiful land and the price charged
by corporations that have it under con-
troll, will come before the people in the
near future and should be Justly dealt
with for all parties interested.
We have seen and taken notice of con-
centrated wealth in agricultural and
stock raising business, more especially
in California. There the large land
holders or trusts own, each from 10000
to l00,0 acres and few even more "a
large part of which was secured through
the old Spanish grants, relic of old
feudal systems directly antagonistic to
true republican principles.) In that
country grain raising, fruit raising, mar
ket gardening and stock raising are
done on a large scale and so cheap that
the small home owners (of which there
are many thousands) cannot compete
with them and never expect to make
more than cheap living by the help of
warm climate. Those small home
owners own from five to forty acres, a
small per cent of them fifty to seventy
acres and do some dairying which is not
very closely cornered as to price of pro-
duct. and raise little of any thing that
they have any hope of selling, in which
they are sometimes disappointed.
The sugar beet farms and factories are
owned by wealthy men who sometimes
contract with small farmers for few
acres of beets, just enough to keep him
at work at price that will just sustain
life, and call it noble act of charity,
and it is the same in the fruit business
and mercantile business. There are
thousands of small dealers. shop owners.
vendors and statesmen of every descrip-
ton on a small to smallest scale who
depend in part or WIDELY on the tourist
trade which runs from about October
through the winter till April. and by
careful notice we see it is so arranged
and protected by law that the large
money makers get by far the largest