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CALIFORNIA  living, and easy-going morality in many localities. Stable elements, however, were not wanting—the mining camps had stringent laws of their own, and lynch law was resorted to in many quarters. Life and property, however, were not well secured. The people were heavily taxed without representation, and though San Francisco had been made a port of entry and United States customs laws had been extended over the country, no Territorial government had been granted. On November 13, 1849, after several unsuccessful attempts at State-making, a constitution, in which slavery was prohibited, was adopted by the people, and on September 9, 1850, California entered the Union. (For national events connected with the State's admission, see, and .) In 1851 the citizens of San Francisco formed a vigilance committee to check lawlessness in that city. The committee tried offenders, banished and hanged at its discretion, and performed its duties so efficiently that in 1856 it was reorganized to meet a new outburst of public disorder and official corruption. When the Civil War broke out, California, which was thought to be contemplating secession, was exempted from furnishing troops. The Union party, however, was dominant, and contributed nearly $1,500,000 to the Federal Government, and sent five companies of volunteers into the field.

Since the Civil War California has experienced a magnificent economic development. The completion of the Union Pacific Railroad furthered the prosperity of the State. Both from the Eastern States and from across the Pacific the tide of immigration flowed in steadily. So considerable, indeed, did the number of Chinese immigrants become that between 1870 and 1890 the Chinese question dominated State politics and influenced national legislation. In the mining districts the Chinese occupied claims which had been abandoned as exhausted by their original proprietors, or acted as cooks and menial servants. In the towns they performed various duties. Their stolid patience and their capacity for long and sustained work made them in one way ideal laborers for the development of a new country; but their extreme frugality and their willingness to work for a small wage made them formidable competitors of white labor. (See .) In 1878 and 1879 (q.v.), a gifted agitator, taking advantage of the discontent prevailing among the lower classes of San Francisco, owing chiefly to the question of Chinese immigration, organized the Workingmen's Party, which for a short time controlled State politics and brought into being the present Constitution of California, with its many radical features. The conflict between the mining and agricultural interests over the utilization of the natural water-power of the State was removed in a great measure by prolonged and elaborate legislation on the subjects of mineral debris and drainage. In 1887 a comprehensive system of irrigation was begun, which has yielded great results. The California International Midwinter Exposition, held at San Francisco in 1894, served to illustrate the progress and prosperity of the State. Before 1860 California was Democratic in national politics. Since that date it has been Republican, with the exception of the years 1880 and 1892.

In State elections California has changed from Democratic to Republican repeatedly on local issues. The trend and change of politics in California may be gathered from the following list of Governors of the State:

. Bancroft, History of the Pacific States of North America, Vols. XIII.-XIX., XXIX., XXX. (San Francisco, 1884-90); Cronise, The Natural Wealth of California (San Francisco, 1868); California as It Is (San Francisco, 1888); Muir, The Mountains of California (New York, 1894); Foster, The Gold Regions of California and also a Geographical, Topographical, and Historical View of the Country (New York, 1848); Gold Mines and Mining in California (San Francisco, 1885); Hittell, History of California, 4 vols. (San Francisco, 1885); Burnett, Recollections and Opinions of an Old Pioneer (New York, 1880); Van Dyke, Southern California (New York, 1886); Hanson, The American Italy (Chicago, 1896); Seward, The Chinese Immigration in its Social and Economic Aspects (Chicago, 1881); Vogdes, A Bibliography relating to the Geology, Palæontology, and Mineral Resources of California, with an additional list of miscellaneous publications on the country (Sacramento, 1896).  CALIFORNIA,. An arm of the Pacific, separating the peninsula of Lower California from the rest of Mexico (Map:, B 2). It was originally known as the Sea of Cortez, having been discovered under his auspices and explored by himself. It is 700 miles in length, and varies in width from 70 to nearly 150 miles. It receives at its upper end the Colorado, and from the east several streams, chief of which are the Altar, Sonora, Yaqui, and Mayo. Both shores are bordered by highlands broken by the river valleys on the east, but on the west presenting an almost unbroken mountain wall. The coast-line is irregular and forms numerous small bays. The gulf has a depth ranging from 600 feet near the head to over 6000 feet near its mouth, and contains many islands, particularly in the upper part, the largest of which are Angel de la Guarda and Tibirón. On its western shores are the ports of San Felipe, San José, and La Paz; on its eastern, those of Mazatlan and Guaymas. There are pearl-fisheries on the western coast. 