Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-02-28
Mr.. PEETS
IN DEFENSE
OF OREGON
WRITES HIS OLD HOME PAPER
AND TELLS OF CONDITIONS AS
HE FINDS THEM-AFTER SIX
YEARS PRONOUNCEs 1T THE
IDEAL STATE OF THE UNION,

Inc Upton (Indiana) Advocate re-
ceived one of the pamphlets sent ont
ny the Portland Labor Council some
time ago. and, of course, gave Il
space giving the story all the public
lV possible. The article, coming to
tue attention of Mr.. Edward Peets
LOT SIX years resident of Salem he
took the time and trouble to write
70 his old home paper, CORRECTING. or
rather' giving the lie to the state
lnents sent out from Portland. and
siVing his own Impressions of the
oregon country, which will have
weight, as he has a wide acouain-
lance in and near his old Iowa home
His letter follows:
1 note in the issue Of your paper
Tor 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 9th, in a letter Of
warming against going to the far
west, the person who wrote this ar
ticle should at least sign his name
to 1t, 80 we might know who It is
that wishes to misrepresent Oregon
and particularly the willamette val
ley, instead Of giving us proper
credit for what we have
Came in 1905.
You will remember that came
to the Willamette valley and located
at Salem in the fall of 1905, and Won
may possibly know also that landed
here financially broke, with a wife
and four children, and, to be candid
with you, with only $95 in money. I |
in the city Of Salem among
strangers. found the people of the
west alive ard Of the best classes. / |
found the city Of Salem growing. and
the whole Willamette valley pros
porous. l found that a man and fam
lily could make more money in this
valley than in any locality 1 ever
lived in. AS an illustration, myself |
and family went into the berry fields
and hop yard, and made as high as
$S to $12 per day during the whole
season. find this one of
the best fruit, grain and hop coun-
tries on earth, l find this one Of the
best climates family ever lived in
the year round. l find the cheap
est and best lumber and timber and
wood in the world. We have always
been healthy and prosperous-never
a day that there was not all the work
that could possibly do, and there
never has been a time that l have
not made money since arriving in
this valley.
MY brother also came here three
years ago, with a family and has
saved about $500 to $4,000, over and
above his living, and there is no
cause for any man making state
nents that were made in your paper
)f the issue mentioned, in regard to
he Willamette valley.
To Correct Errors.
81 write this to correct an errone-
Jus idea which one might get from
juch an article. 1t is true that dur
ng the winter months this year, with
abor slack in other parts Of the
country, and more railroad building
n Oregon than In any other state at
his time, thousands Of men came
iere for work; and 1t is also true
hat they overcrowded the common
abor jobs to a certain extent. How
vor, that condition has now changed
gain, which lasted for only two or
hree months, and the surplus has
rlfted out. and everybody has work.
I is not true that people who want
york and who wish to work, can not
md It to do.
"A man and family can come TO the
valley and get 10 acres Of