Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-02-27
Mr.. PEETS
IN DEFENSE
OF OREGON
WRITES HIS OLD HOME PAPER
AND TELLS OF CONDITIONS AS
HE FINDS THEM-AFTRR ELEY-
EN YEARS PRONOUNCEs 1T THE
IDEAL STATE or THE UNION.

IDEAL STATE OF THE UNION.
The Upton Qowa) Advocate re-
ceiyed one OF the pamphlets sent out
by the Portland Labor Council some
time ago, and, Of course, gave II
space, giving the story all the public
ity possible. The article. coming 10
the attention OF Mr., Edward Peets,
for II years resident Of Salem, he
t0ok the time and trouble TO write
to his old home paper correcting, or
rather, giving the lie to the state
nents sent out from Portland, and
giving his own Impressions OF the
oregon country which viii have
weight, as he has a wide acquaIn-
tance in and near hls old Iowa home.
His letter followa;
Il noto in the iseue Of your paper
for February 9Th an article, THE
West Crowded. and also in the is
sue OF your issue Of February 9Th,
Farmers Going East" In your Is
sue Of February str, In letter Of
warning against going to the far
west, the person VINO wrote this ar
ticle should at least sign his name
TO II, 80 We might know who II is
that Wishes 10 misrepresent Oregon,
and particularly the Willamette val
ley. Instead Of giving as proper
credit for what we have.
Came IN 1905.
You will remember that came
20 the Willamette valley and located
at Salem In the fall Of 1905, and you
may possibly know also that / landed
here financially broke, with a wife
and four children, and, to be candid
With you, with only s95 in money. I
arrived In the city Of Salem among
strangers found the people OF the
west alive and Of the best classes I
found the city Of Salem growing, and
the whole Willamette valley pros
porous ! found that a man and FAM
lly could make more money In this
valley than In any locality ever
lived IN, As an illustration, myself
and family went into the berry fields
and hop yard, and made as high As
IS 10 tl2 per day during the whole
summer season, ! find this one OF
the beat fruit grain and hop coun-
tries on earth hnd this one Of the
bent climates a family ever lived IN
-tho year round hnd the cheap
eat and bee. lumber and timber and
wood IN the world. We have always
been healthy and prosperous--never
day that there was not all the work
that could possibly do, and there
never has been a time that I have
not made money since arriving In
this valley.
my brother also came here three
years ago. with a family aud has
saved about $500 to $4,000, over and
above his living, and there is no
cause for any man making state
menta that were made IN your paper
Of tho Issue mentioned, IN regard "a
tho Willamette valley.
10 Correct Errors.
II wrlte this to correct an errono-
Gus idea which one might get from
such an article. II Is true that dur
INK the winter months thls year, with
labor slack IN other parts OF the
country, and moro railroad building
IN Oregon than IN any other state at
this time thousands OF men came
hero for work. and Il n also true
that they oyercrowded the common
labor Jobs 10 certain extent, How.
ever that condition has now changed
aEnin, whlch laated for only two OF
three months and the mrplus has
driited out. and everybody has work
Il is not true that people who want
work and who wish 10 work. can moi
mud Il 10 do
"A man and family can come TO n,
Willamette valley and get 10 acres oI
land On easy payments at from 81,
10 ti26 per acre and start In with I
very tew dollars, and mako goot
living from TIE very start, as thore Il
always work in tho berry nelds, fruit
orchards and hop yards, and tho frui
packing houses and cAnnerles IN N,
winter, We have work here which
tbe smallest child can do whenever
they wish to.
Come and 400 for yourself, and \
things are not As represent them
ycuT sEpsRsvs viii DO paid,
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