Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-06-19
THE LAND OF SOCIALISM
H. C. nILLARD WRITES OF NEW TEA.
LAND AND HER CONDITIONS
Her People and Their Administrative
Government Periodically Proud
of the United States.

EDiIOk AENSOk. AliSI TGStuiflg nNe
months in New Zealand, travelling q
Geo miles about the country, including
II miles on horse back, 54 on foot. SO
by motor car, and 246 by coach, visiting
all the principal cities, and interviewing
men of all occupations and listening to
many political speeches, l have drawn
certain conclusions. If you deem them
worthy, would like to lay them before
your readers. | shall touch only on
subjects that are receiving a good deal
of attention at the present time in the
United States, and are engaging the
consideration of many thoughtful men,
My only object is to emphasize the fact
that we have the best and greatest
country on earth. That by reason of
receiving the brightest and most ener-
getic people of other nations, and their
intermarrying, we have the best type
of people, race unquestionably the su-
perior of any both physically, mental
ly and morally.
Some, / knew, think that on account
OF official corruption, trusts, ETC., we
are in bad way sick unto death as it
were. Why, they are but insignificant
skin 'eruptions on the body Of your Un-
Gle Samuel, and are to be expected the
same as before boy becomes a man
he must have measles, mumps, whoop-
ing cough and all that sort of thing.
Before leaving the United States last
October, from such information as came
to my notice, formed the opinion that
this was country whose laws were so
framed as to work injury to no one:
where there were no rich or poor, no
strikes or lock-outs; where everything
worked out for the benefit of all alike
But / find just as much complaint, just
as much Kicking, just as much criti-
eism Of the laws and politicians here as
at home.
The city of Auckland contains about
80, 600 inhabitants and is the largest in
the country. 1t has splendid harbor,
and coming out on the deck of the
steamer that brought us from San Fran
cisco, 5000 miles away. just after sun
rise on a beautiful day as we lay an
chored out in the stream awaiting the
doctor, the scene presented to view was
certainly beautiful, and seemed to war
rant the assertion claimed by some here
that this is Gods own country "
But alas, like many other things in this
world, close inspection and careful an
alysis disproves the assertion. In the
first place bear in mind this whole coun-
try is only the size of Montana and con-
tains less than a million people, of
whom but very small proportion live
by farming; that it is very rough, be-
ing covered by mountains and lakes
barren table lands and dense forests
that there is very little good soil in the
whole country taking the soil of Yer
non county as a criterion. The remain
der of the inhabitants are daY laborers,
shop keepers and Office n0iders The
people are almost exclusively of the
middle class of England, and it is very
soon made manifest to a visitor that no
other tind is wanted. They are uni
formally small in size and get around
in a rather listless manner. A cOnsid-
erable number are of sandy complexion.
They are kind, honest and polite, do not
use profane language. but do smoke
vile cigarettes in the presence of la
dies, and | have seen them time I'D
again blow the smoke in their faces.
The beer they have here has a reputa-
tion of being vile stuff and three half
pints win create a fair drunk. AS a
result drunkenness is very prevalent
and is not confined to men altogether
either.
AS soon as they conquered the natives
they began to pass laws. Having had
no experience or part in framing the
laws at home, they started out with
the object of having things so work out
that no one man could have more than
another That is a beautiful theory.
but it can't be brought about by law =
yet. The idea here is that the title and
control of everything shall rest in the
state In the start a few men pur-
chased vast tracts of land, and the
state gave them and others a warranty
deed, but long since have settled on the
plan of the state holding title and
leasing the land only. AT present it is
for SO years, but an active campaign is
now on to reduce that to &c years.
Many of the earlier settlers got rich
raising sheep. There is no doubt about
this being a good grazing country. The
greater part of the south island is par
ticularly adapted for sheep and there
are literally millions of them. There
are large works at all the principal
ports where the sheep and lambs are
slaughtered, then froZe solid, sewed up
in cheese cloth, put into compartments
on board all the great steamships and
kept frozen till they reach England and
are wanted tor consumption. 1t is the
same with beef, only it is in quarters.
The north island is more adapted to
cattle and dairying, and vast quantities
of butter and cheese are shipped in
same way to England The butter Is
always sent in 56 pound square boxes
made of wood that grows here and
does not injure the flavor. These two
industries are the salvation of the coun-
try, and since the era of high pr ices for
wool, mutton and dairy products set in,
has been the means of bringing lots of
money to New Zealand
Because these large ranch owners are
accommodating fortunes from the sheep,
there is decided pressure being
brought to bear to stop them. Seeing
the hand writing on the wall, they are
selling their land to the government at
very high prices and returning to Eng
land. This land is being cut up into
smaller tracts and Ieas ed, and the lease
lays down how the land shall be work
ed. The tenants think it is alright be-
cause at home they turned over their
surplus earnings to a private owner
while here it goes to the state. In any
case when they reach old age they have
nothing to show for their many years
of hard toll save small pittance. the
state pays them under certain circum-
stances of a dollar or two week. The
result is that from one end OF this coun-
try TO the other there are no homes as
we understand the meaning of that
word. The family here stays IN a
small houaa eevarad with galvanized