Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-16
STATE BOARD OF TRADE.
An OFFICIAL ADDRESS TO HE
STATE.
Methods by Which it Seeks
to accom- plish Them.

The officers of the State Board of Trade
have issued the following address concern
ing the objects of that institution and the
methods adopted TO accomplish them:
Something more than year ago, for the
first time in the history of the State, the
tide of immigration seemed surely to be
moving westward in a constant and resist
less stream, seeking, as it were, for home
and abiding place towards the setting sun.
A few representative gentlemen, having
the best interests of their State at heart.
bethought themselves of a plan whereby
this immigration, comprising men of
wealth, men of moderate means, mechan-
les, artisans, toilers, etc, might be con-
vinced of the grandeur of our western do
main; might be made to know of its re-
sources, its great wealth, its wonderful fer
tility of soil, its Incompatible climate, its
freedom from devastation by the elements
and the thousand and one advantages that
go to make it the Eden of America, the
garden spot of the world, by an object les
son OF the States production, that would
remove from the skeptic emigrants imag-
ination any impression he may have gained
of an ethereal fairy-land in the western
slope, by reading literature which pleased
his fancy, while it sometimes would not
convince his honest judgment as to relia-
bility His desire for travel excited by
what he reads, the immigrant sets forth for
this land of plenty, and upon arriving, how
shall he solve the problem of his instruc-
tiol? Shall he instruct himself by an am
Loo I
he be instructed, and if the latter, how d?
That was the problem to be solved. The
plan adopted was this: from the several
counties of the State were to be gathered
samples of their productions arranged in
pleasing shape and countless variety, they
were there to meet the eye of the traveller
and he would become convinced that real
ity had taken the place of what he thought
was fiction. He might doubt what he
had read about California, but what he
had seen he surely must believe. Such
was the object, such the plan, that led to
the Inauguration of the organization known
as the State Board of Trade. That the
State Board of Trade has solved this prob
lem and supplied this want both to the
immi.rant and the State is now no longer
matter of doubt but an assured fact. Its
success after Il little more than wears
growth has been phenomenal, and its iabors
in its accepted field have been subject of
much congratulation.
1he Board invites attention throughout
the State to its manner of working and to
its magnificent display of the products of
the several counties now affiliated with the
| organization. 1t is in no way a competi-
tive display, neither is it partial Board,
1t neither attempts to invite inspection to
any one part of the State to the detriment
of another, nor place one county above an
other, but its aim is to thoroughly make
known the advantages and resources of the
! whole State as place for a home, and
leaves the disposal of the immigration now
coming in to the energy and progressive
spirit of the different counties comprising
its organization. For that reason the man
agement wishes to impress upon each and
every county in the State that they take
steps to affiliate with the central organiza-
tion, if they have not already done so, to
see the Importance of a concerted and com
bined effort of all interested to make the
State as whole, present its best features
to the people of the Atlantic Slope and the
World
The State Board aims TO instruct the
visitor, not to direct nor control him.
To instruct the affiliated counties concern
ing the immigrants inquiries, and then to
direct the counties how to instruct the i'm
migration. The mode is this: all special
inquiries concerning the best place to set
tie are referred to the counties in affiIia-
tion, they to answer and present their best
features to the inquirer, and to their en-
ergy and presentation of the case the i'm
migrant is influenced to the selection of his
choice as to where he will permanently
settle. To the elimination of all interest
of selfish nature whereby some locality
may be favored above others, the State
Board owes its success; also by a proper
appreciation of its own dignity, and hold
ing with a single purpose to but one OBJ
ject, and that object the desire to present
to the public, and the world at large, the
best features and the finest productions of
this favored land. BY Just such an Impair
tial course to all, the State Board has been
able to attain its present position as an in
fluential factor in behalf of the States
prosperity.
In ancient times all roads led to Rome.
so it is in these modern times of immigra-
tion, all roads lead to California, and sooner
or later all pilgrims from the far East find
their Mecca in San Francisco. Here, in
the commercial center of the State, where
the men of wealth, the men of labor, the
pleasure-seeker and the home-seeker find
their way at last through the highroads
that lead into the metropolis, permanent
and well-kept exhibit and storehouse of
information should he maintained Great
is the importance of this.
The experience of a year has taught us
how eagerly and how gladly the Eastern
traveller makes use of this great object les
son spread out before him.
Its influence for good and far-reaching
results cannot be calculated. Our late ex-
hibition at Columbus, Ohio, during the G..
A. r. encampment was viewed by thou
sands and its influence was very great.
While from time to time it will be the pur-
pose of the State Board to present exhibits
at great gatherings of people in the East,
yet here in San Francisco-here in our
parent organization-is the great need of
our exhibit here it is, that the travelling
public desiring information concerning the
wonderful State of California, expects to
see the grandest exhibition of her prod
ucts. Judging by the success of our past
efforts to please them, we have every indi-
cation of bright prospect in the future.
The travel towards our State has as vet
hardly commenced; therefore the State
Board Of Trade urges upon each and every
county to break the shackles binding them
to a past silurian age and vie with the
counties already affiliated in aiding the
State Board to the accomplishment of the
purpose for which it was organized.