The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-02-08
MAINE VS.. CALIFORNIA.

Ooes IL not weary you to see now tnose
good people ''gush" when they get into
California or the western States? One
would think it was land of milk and
honey, and that it was already gathered
and strained for you; and what climate!
one would think they always breathed
the elixir of life out there. But when
the San Francisco earthquake was On l
guess the fumes were little sitting;
and In the region Of infrequent rains,
when you step off of the irrigated Sec
tons and get into the swish OF alkall
dust, you are not breathing the rose per-
fumes of the piazzas in Los Angeles, not
five miles away. One of our Maine
judges while in California wrote me that
1t was one continual glare of sunshine
day after day, and it was relief when
ne got out into territory where he ran
into good old fashioned thunder shower.
He said he could not have stood the
monotony of the weather much longer.
Bret Harte we'll described California
scenery when he wrote:
Sage brush, sand and alkali,
Alkali, sand and sage
int it pretty page?"
There is nothing SO tiresome as the
monetony of fixed climate, one of I'M
varied scenery. l have driven for miles
over western roads while all around were
unerding and monotonous prairie farms,
and did SO long to see stone in the
road for the wheel to run over for a
change. Two hours rain would turn
those roads into slough of black mud 5
inches deep, and two days sunshine
would change that into 5 inches of dust
to choke one. l have ridden for miles
over roads covered with Pinch pine
plank, and that was the only way they
could keep out of the mud.
And mosquitoes l have seen them
drive their bills through tent and lift it
from the ground and then attack the in
mates; and in long deep cut In the
mountain train will push them ahead
OF 1t until they are SO compact that they
Will stop the train, and they have to turn
on live steam to kill them and get them
out OF the way! But then, of course, we
all admit that even California is a good
State to live in, for awhile. With an area
some five times as large as Maine it
would be strange if there were not some
desirable sections; but when we compare
1t with grand old Maine, it stands about
as the prisoner did in the old darkey's
opinion. The judge asked the witness
what kind of man the prisoner was:
''Well Judge" says Cuffee, eff you put
him alongside Of Judas Iscariot he sizes
up putty well; but if you stand him up
long side of you and me judge, he do
dwindle terrible amazin."
1t is we'll known that the labor condi-
lions are less satisfactory in California
than here in Maine. An artisan lately
came from there in order to get into a
better location for laborer, and he now
occupies an official position, and he says
California is no place for laboring man.
Your correspondents dwell on the great
crops of fruit and celery raised there.
But man cannot live on those alone. Mr..
Call, representative of the fruit grow
ers of California, testified before the
Ways and Means committee of Congress,
that it cost $5Q0,00G to bring water so
miles to water 1900 acres. 1t cost them
100000 for pumping plant to pump
the water, or $50 an acre every year.
And he said their net profit was At per
cent! or 1920 income on farm worth
$40, 900. And be said that was about
average profit with them. Why, one of
my neighbors, with farm which he
values at $4,000, will make net profit
on last seasons crops of over $4,000.
"Comparisons are odorous," says JUS
tice Dogberry; but let US compare some
Maine crops with those of California,
and they are not so "odorous" so far as
ours are concerned at least, even if we
have not the orange blossoms. AS re-
CARDS area California does not raise near
ly as much corn as we do, and while we
average 46 bushels per acre, she raises
but 81 IL bushels. Names wheat crop
averages ga bushels per acre larger
than hers; our oat crop averages ITO
bushels per acre larger than hers; our
barley crop $3.50 per acre larger; our
buckwheat crop is worth over $40 per
acre more than that raised by the West
ern States; the average yield of potatoes
in Maine is 22O bushels per acre, while in
California it is but 100 bushels. As re-
CARDS the hay crop, ours is worth over
$40, 900, 900 more than hers, notwith.
standing her boosted alfalfa crop.
But why dwell on material things!
Let us look at some of those that make
the real State; the things that "abide .
Where does Califo rnia get her men that