Year: 1876

Win the lanu SnarkS III praisiliS up
the country and in keeping the people
ignorant of its drawbacks.


: This is melancholy picture. But
J we are not disposed to quarrel with
Mr.. Linton's evident i'll nature; in fact
his statements does not injure the
country half so much as those of the
character previously quoted because
the reader cannot fail to discover in
them the outpouring of splenitic
grumbler. To believe them, one must
think Southern California veritable
Sahara, its people huff barbarous, and
its condition in general wretched with
out comparison.


Now there is proper medium be.
tween the views of these two equally
unfair correspondents; and people of
sound judgment will readily find it. 1t
is true that, for several months of the
year we are without rain, but the eli
matte Influences are such that the dry
season does not resemble protracted
drouth in the East. In other words,
the absence of rain is one of the natu-
raj conditions of the country, and ami
NAL and vegetable life does not suffer
from 1t as from an unnatural state. In
most localities the farmer must irri-
gate his land at considerable labor and
expense, but the return is correspond
ingly more certain and more bounti-
full than it is in other countries with
the same outlay. 1t is true that our
lands are not all good. Taking in the
contour of the country from mountain
peak to valley and plain it may be
found in every gradation from sterile
to tropical luxurousness,


Like Jeremlah's figs,


The good are very good the bad


Too sour to feed the pigs,


But there is an abundance of fertile
land for those who have the energy to
cultivate it.


| And thus we might prolong our ar
ticle in discussion of every point
that is raised for or against Southern
California; but be assured that every
disadvantage would find its compensa-
tion somewhere, and we would at last
conclude with the words of Caleb and
Joshua sthe spies of Israel: The land
aOhich we passed through to search ii,
is an erceeding good land.


And now word for the third class
of correspondents which we previously
referred to. Would that they were
only more plentiful Justice is such
a simple thing that it is pity more
people do not deal with it. He who
feels called upon to give his opinions
of Southern California should Danish
every prejudice and write fairly the
good and bad that he sees. Then there
will be enough that is attractive in his
correspondence he may be assured,
and his friends will not be led into er-
ror either by coming here or staying
away under false impressions. To
conclude we give an extract from a
letter written to the HERALD by lady
correspondent. We award it the palm
as fair picture


My ideas OF California, though:not unfavor.
able on the whole, were c,ouded by excessive
devotion to my own section. The first i'm
pressons Of the country favored my former
prejudice. The brown hills of the coast, seen
from the bilious vision of q sea-sick individu-
al on board q crowded, cOmfOrtlesS steamer,
were not calculated TO dispel, but rather con-
firm, any disagreeable opinion 1 had pre-
viously formed. And "the Winter of dlscon-
tent" was complete upon landing In chilly,
dense fog at santa Barbara. But continual
dropping will woar away n stone," and who
could withstand the succession of beautiful
sunny days and clear, cool nights which fol-
lowed each other uninterruptedly for two
months Not even the most radical Puritan
ic New Englander; and after three months
residence in that beautiful Winter resort and
in Los Angeles county, am glad to lay down
my arms and surrender to the charms of this
favored locality and the free, open-hearted
hospitality of the people. Nowhere is more
courtesy extended to strangers, and ladies
travelling alone are cared for in way which
does credit to the chiyalrous sons of the far
West. OF course we cannot expect all the
luxuries of the older States of the Fast, which
have the advantage of century's growth
and close contact with the civilized countries
of the old world; but the comforts OF life, ma
ture has very nearly insured to the inhabi,-
ants, il they have the least energy to gather
and partake OF what she so bountifully pro-
, vldes with very little urging, and California,
with all her mineral wealth, agricultural re-
sources and genial climate, should and will
take the lead OF her sister States in all that is
essential to high state of fcivili2ation.


AS resort for invallds this region must be
very desirable, although many IL poor con-
sumptve is doomed to bitter disappointment
from having staid so long in the changeable,
chilling air OF the Atlantic States. For those
in the incipient stages of that and many 9TH
Il er chronic diseases, my faith is strong. The
influence OF bright sunshine, even upon the
spirits OF an invalid, all physicians agree to
be of value to say nothing of its direct phys
ical effects. SO much for very imperfect but
spontaneous tribute to this sunny land, and
often sigh for the pen of u ready writer to
depict more perfectly my opinion.


WELLS, FARGO & co.'s EXPRESS.