Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-09-09
CALIFORNIA

of the thought of a Pacific empire as
| it is today of the thought of a feder-
alton of all the English-speaking peo-
Piles in both hemispheres for the pur-
pose of establishing permanent peace
and proclaiming liberty to all nations of
the earth. BY the opponents of the
annexation of California, impassioned
speeches were made In congress and
on public platforms by orators who
predicted national disaster from the
adoption by Uncle Sam of such a far
away, out of the world, inaccessible
ward as California.
Today these speeches, like those of
the eloquent American Tories who pre-
dicted the speedy enslavement of the
Atlantic seaboard by some hostile pow
er if the guardianship of the British
army and navy were withdrawn, pro-
yoke smiles.
The grannies In congress held it
would not be worth while to adopt
California. 1--WE don't need her." they
said. But the discovery of gold put
different aspect on the case. There
was a headlong rush of new settlers
not only from the United States-"the
States" as the Californians of that
day fondly and distantly called them
but from Great Britain and Ireland.
Immediately there was produced a COM
munity which was novel even in COM
paratively new America. Here, for a
while, everyone was an Immigrant"
and the first questions put to a new
chum were, "Where do you come from7
How did you get here? Do you in
tend to stay?"
The last question resulted from the
fact that many men came to California
with the avowed intention of making
their pile at the diggings, if they were
lucky, and then "vamoosing."
The ''vamoosers" might have re-
manned in the majority, and California
might never have been much more
than a great, prodigiously rich mining
camp, If it had not been for two charm
ing facts. Women and children.
When the boys began to be wealthy
and prosperity seemed to be assured
the girls they left behind them plucked
up courage and took the long journey
across the continent.
Soon the girls (heaven bless them)
began to write back east regarding the
wonderful home charms of this blessed
place, and they made the California
Of today possible.
An old proverb says "God made the
country, man made the town." and we
may add, women made California"
Women inspired the homestead idea,
the settlement idea, the colonizing idea,
and the browning stroke of woman's
work for California was when she wrote
to the far away friends across noun
tain or sea: California Is the very
best place in the world in which to
raise children. You just ought to see
the babies we -ow here"
1t was true. This is as great a coun-
try for humankind as it is for the prod
ucts of the soil and for the cattle in the
pastures and the horses on the mea-
dows. And such horses! Great horse
breeders soon began to find the race
horse In California, like everything
else, could be evolved to perfection.
We hope the California horse will con-
tinue to flourish, and that the day of
the cavalier will come again. There
is room for him, as we'll as for the au-
tomobiles.
Industrially, California is one of the
greatest states in the Union. In addi- |
ton to the average production Of $780,
OO0,O 900 a year in precious metals, this
state is one of the foremost on the
North American continent in output
of fruit, milk, Lutter, cheese, poultry,
wheat, barley, hay, wool and oil.
1t makes excellent wine which is
readily marketed and is compared IA
vorably with European vintages. Its
manufactures are being increased
steadily in number and importance.
With the growth of population, its real
estate is becoming more and more val
liable, and a vast amount of money is
invested in buildings both private and
public. California is the land of mag
nifcent homes, great churches, splendid
schools, and the finest club houses in
America.
Health, wealth and prosperity abide
in this happiest of states. With a
retrospect in which there is nothing
to regret, with a prospect of greater
promise than ever, with definite as
surance of an incalculable increase in
business activity after the completion
C the Panama canal and equipped in
San Pedro with harbor, fitted for the
realization of even the most sanguine
authorizations of the maritime and COM
mercial development of this, the South
err portion of the state, the CONNER
cial, industrial, educational, ecclesiasti-
cal and social capital Of which Is Los
Angeles, California reneWs the vows
of her mighty youth, and will move
forward steadily in the vanguard OF
the march of human progress, remem-
bering always that Lmericanism made
her marvellous existence possible, and
that to Americanism, to diligent study
of governmental and social methods of
producing the greatest good for the
greatest number of her citizens, she
must and will be true.
Mr.. Taft said the trusts were trying
to "hold m" the government in the