The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-02-29
In Defence of California.

To THE EDITOR OF The JOURNAL: In
your issue of Feb. 9Th quite lengthy
article appears entitled ''Maine VS.. Cali
fornia." l don't believe there is man
who has left the State of Maine that has
been more loyal to his home than myself,
but dislike to see or hear of such rank
injustice to another State as the article
just published.
l don't know where the party could
have visited to have been inspired to
write it. 1t was not in San Jose or Santa
Clara county. 1t reminds me very much
of the Presbyterian minister of Bruins
wick, Ca, who had heard Evangelist
Williams, and tried to follow after him.
One Sunday he preached very much on
the order of this letter, and among other
things he said: ''Why, my brethren,
sooner than touch pack of cards, l
would clasp the hand of a smallpox
patient!" After church, Brother Stacy,
one of the deacons and a strictly honest,
upright man, approached him and said:
Brother Brown you used to give us
some good sermons. Don't you think it
would be better to turn the barrel over
and repeat some of those old ones? Now,
brother, in your sermon today you made
some statements that were pretty SEN
sational. Should I make such talk, you
would come to me and say: Brother
Stacy, do you believe all you said?'"
Maine is grand old State, and one of
which we are all proud. She raises good
crops and sends out good men, but when
making the comparison of the people of
an old State with new one, comparing
the people of country that has been
exporting her citizens for over a CEN
fury with those of new country, and
one that has and is drawing people from
all parts of the world, one should be
just.
If California did not possess what is
claimed for it there would not be 50 many
hundreds of thousands Of people located
here. We must admit there are good
many undesirable citizens in this country.
They come here because they cannot live
elsewhere. The tramps come here be-
cause they cannot live in box cars or out
of doors in other sections during the
winter.
California has her labor troubles, and
the same thing exists in other progressive
States that are growing and where there
is big demand for labor. California
has poverty, but no more than any other
growing State. There is always more
poverty where there is large increase
of population, particularly coming from
foreign nations, than in one where there
is no foreign immigration.
Speaking Of climate, believe it was
one of Belfast's honored citizens esquire
Allyn who made the statement ''that in
Maine they had nine months winter and
three months of id cold weather"
That cannot be said about the coast line
of California. When the people of the
East are suffering from the cold those of
California are enjoying the outdoor air,
working with doors and windows open;
when the East is Frustrated with heat,
we are having the cool trade winds and
getting comfortable days and nights.
And in proof of this / enclose you the
United States weather report, which
nobody can dispute.
1t is all very well to compare Names
crops with CALIFORNIA;, but when doin g
so why not state it all? Why not also
compare the large crops of alfalfa, april
cots, prunes, cherries, oranges, lemons,
grapes, and berries with those of Maine?
Why select thos ecrops that are not look
ed upon or considered the leading ones?
California can show all that it claims and
more. She can produce everything pro-
duced in any other section of the Union.
am glad to learn that the SO, 600 farms
are paying $4,000 per year, for that
means every farm in Maine will be occu-
pied within twelve months, and good old
Maine will be the most thickly populated
State in the Union, and sincerely hope
the gentleman's statement in that re-
spect is correct.
But there is one thing that people
should disabuse their minds of; and that
is, no matter into what State you 60, or
where you decide to locate, if you wish