The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-12
SEEING AMERICA FIRST.
~ FRED C. KELLY
Copyright. 1915. by Fred c. Keiiy)
From diary:

From diary
Southern Cslifornians rather resent the sug
gestion that the Almighty could have arranged
any minor detail that would mean greater all.
round perfection OF living conditions than are
TO be found here right now. ! remarked that. "
there could be just an occasional shower during
the summer to brighten up the hillsides a BIT
and lay the dust, II might help.
Whereupon Californian promptly declared:
III there were dry season, half the people
In the east would move out here at once With
out the dry all southern California would
be congested and crowded with people that
an acre OF ground would cost thousands Of dol
lars, and there would be no fun living here"
was In a little hotel day or so ago where
they had Jap page boy. And not for good
deal would have missed him. When you stop
TO recall what happens when you give name
10 imagine. just roughly. what occurs when the
page boy happens TO be Japanese. Go into the
Waldorf Astoria and ask page TO call out the
name Ferguson. for instance Then saunter
about the lobby and listen. In little while you
will hear your page boy diligently at work cali
Ing for Mr. Ferguson. But. oh, how Ferguson's
name has changed when IL Is enunciated by the
page. II sounds more like Hicks But II IL plain
enough compared with the things that happen to
name you turn over TO the little Jap refer To.
put in delightful half or three-auarters OF an
hour trying various names on him as they &C.
CURED to me, and he did funny things with them
all But believe he was nj his best when pag
Ing the name McGlcuddy.
Every piece OF ground out here not right IN .
city Is called a ranch, regardless Of how large or
small Il happens 10 be, On the way TO San Diego
saw from the train the Mcneil ranch OF 10000
acres or more stretching along the track for
miles and miles and miles II took couple OF
hours for n fast train 10 pass the property. The
next day a friend In San Diego proposed taking
me out TO show me his ranch He said was
only eleven miles from town and we could drive
out In iust a few minutes. When We were about
mile away he pointed out his place which was
marked by pretty little white bungalow cover
ed with pink geranums and Cherokee roses.
We'll that rs a ranch" remarked
And how many acres have your"
To which he replied with easy nonchalance:
"Oh one"
Californians have a great habit OF saying yes
10 almost anything you ask them. This seems
TO be because II In usually more cheering and
than TO say no. And being optimistic In one
OF the best things the people out here do. All
the world In young and every goose q swan 10
n Californian. Anybody who comes here can
make money. An acre OF orange trees will yield
Thousands OF dollars a year with ordinary care,
and anything you care TO undertake will prove
To be Just perfectly lovely.
You ask n you could raise apples here along
side OF oranges and make them pay. Or n you
could do well with figs dates. dogs, nasturtums.
or bluebirds. II the weather II just as pleasant
all summer or all winter "a Il In right now, and
the answer IL invariably yes.
About the only exception I can recall was
when I asked II they ever had any snow
| inquired OF one woman IN she thought the
climate in her locality we'll adapted 10 pineapple
trees, with great arnestness she told me YES
yes indeed. This seemed TO me especially Cd
timietic. for am assured that n pineapple tree
will not thrive unless all the conditions are Just
exactly right