Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-01-23
Southern California
background of
the Rich X X
My Dear Monkman:

My Dear Monkmdn:
suppose it is about time was doing
little piece for the papers" If am to
continue to stand in with the newspaper
fraternity of my home town. And sure
it isn't want of something to write
about that should make one remiss in the
matter of correspondence from San
Diego. The city may be dead as the
proverbial door nail as to trade and COM
merce of the common and regulation
sorts, which it is; but along other lines
there is nearly always something doing"
Southern California has been aptly dub
bed by somebody ''the playground of the
rich" The happy phrase maker might
have added that it was also the "hospi-
tai camp of the sick" and "the bivouae
of the dead. The relation of the phrases
may not be apparent at first thought. be-
cause while many of the rich are of the
class who have bankrupted their health
by indulgences elsewhere and come here
for the climatic and other comforts the
vicinity affords, there are many who
have pawned their last resource to get
into SO mild and equable an atmosphere,
in hope of recovery of health. But as
bivouae Of the dead it seems to show
little respect of persons. 1t gets both
rich and poor.
1t is as "a playground of the rich,
however, that Southren California in
general and this city in particular exoels.
One has but to read the "sassiety" COL
umns of the iaily press to learn who's
wno," and how hard up they are for
something to do. There is to be Turk
ish ball" at Hotel del Coronado a few
days from now. have not been invited.
but learn from the local press that the
occasion will be graced by the presence
of the Count and Countess Chatouleno
and the DUO de Riohelieu and his Duch-
ess and other ducks and brakes Of pedi-
gree stock. And | am furthermore in
formed that truck loads of trunks filed
with dainty and more or less decolete
gowns have been going over the ferry to
the high fashion hostelry for several
days; and all the capable seamstresses
of S. D. are in requistion, making toys
for the social crush. So you see "a play
ground for the rich" does contribute
something in the way Of "workyard for
the poor" And is this not great vir-
tuep At all events. there are many who
never get farther in their study of politf-
cal economy than to so esteem it. and
pronounce econiums on the rich folk who
give the poor folk a job.
In this connection one might write with
interest Of the army of unemployed that
is just now beseiging the California
cities or marching through the state of
California insisting that chance to work
be given them. But why single out Cal
ifornia for interesting comment on this
theme. Has not Colorado its Trinidad
and Michigan its Calumet. And do we
not read that in Germany the city of Ber
lin alone has its 100000 unemployed
calling for work? There be those of
course who tell US that the Democrats
are to blame for all our troubles. Well
doubtless there are some democrats in
Germany too. Wherever there are aris-
tocrats we are sooner or later to have
democrats. They follow one another as
instiaotivey as day follows night; and
the only way to improve matters would
seem to be to even things up better. But
therel | must stop or | shall be accused
of encouraging Socialism. when | only
meant to say good word for Wilson.
But shall not be altogether "chang-
ing the slhjsct' if revert to the fact
that social" San Diego. or to be more
explicit, San Diego's social set has one of