Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-20
A COMPLETE EXPOSITION POSSIBLE

A COMPLETE EXPOSITION POSSIBLE.
The county exhibits at the State Fair
grew out of al experiment on the part of
Sonoma county exhibitors few years ago,
who grouped their exhibits and emblazoned
them "Sonoma County Products" The
new idea at once met with public approval,
and, if we remember Alright, the major por-
tion of the Sonoma county showing was sent
East by the Southern Pacific Company and
exhibited at Louisville and one or two
other points besides. Since that time the
State Agricultural Society has exerted
itself to have the several counties make
exhibits, and each year has met with more
or less success, at one time having as many
as nine counties in line. 1t may now be
accepted that no State Fair in California
will be deemed complete without county
exhibits
But however wisely and impartially the
money awards may be distributed to com
pensate for the cost of arranging the ex-
hibits, since all the counties cannot be
named first, there will be some degree of
disappointment felt. This is inevitable,
for human nature is much the same now
as it ever has been. A true philosophy
will teach the county representatives that
1t is not so much the award of committee
as to the extent and variety of display
that is desired, as it is TO ability to COM
mand the attention of visitors by the char
acter of the exhibits. 1t must always be
that one will be named first and another
second in the matter of display, but that
fact has only a feather weight in ad-
vertising the county. 1t perhaps gives
it local prestige for a time, but to
the home-seeker the exhibits alone
enter into his estimate. The capacity
of the county, then, is not represented by
the award, so much as the interest earnest
ness and devotion of the experimenting
committee that gathers the exhibits.
1t is to be hoped, therefore, that distant
smaller and less developed communities
will not refrain from making county ex-
hibits because there are older, stronger
and more developed counties likely to
enter into competition. We venture the
assertion that in the present State Fair, the
counties which, by reason of distance
raupaeo cf oa.tla,,,a,,4 o,l l;,,;.oJ Ja-sI...
ment of resources, have made smaller ex-
position of their products, have, never
theleSs, had just as much attention from
the people-as we know they have received
from the press-as the greater displays
Let county exhibitors resolve, therefore,
to continue in their good work, and by
their persistence and success in exhibiting
encourge the State Agricultural Society to
greatly enlarge its awards and the space
for such exhibits.
1t is possible for this prime feature of
the fair-county exhibitions-to expand
in bulk and augment in importance, that
it Will absorb quite all the Pavilion.
When fifteen or twenty counties, for in
stance, are in confraternal competition,
the Industrial building will not be equal
to the accommodation and annexes will
be necessary. That fifteen or twenty
counties can be secured as exhibitors, and
that by the next Exposition, or certainly
by 1891, we confidently believe, if the
State Board of Agriculture will en-
ter upon the work of securing local
organization in the several counties with
that end in view. For instance, there is no
reason whatever why San Francisco, with
all her wealth, should not be represented
in the State Fair by grouped examples of
manufactures in wood, cloth and metals;
of her commerce by typical examples and
illustrative diagrams and tables; of her
art; of her publishing and printing; of the
work of her artisans; of examples from her
mills and great factories; OF her shipbuild-
ing, her architecture, and So on through
an extended catalogue San Francisco
could make an exhibit at the State Fair
that would practically cost her nothing,
and yet prove of great teaching value to
the people.
So toorhe coast counties south of San
Francisco ought to be induced to unite
with those of the great valleys, the foot
hills and the mountains, in an exposition
of the resources Of the whole State. The
extreme northern and southern counties
by TYPICAL if not large displays, should be
represented in the State Fair annua lly, by
their woods, soils, building materials,
fruits, grapes and minerals in the
one case, and their semi-tropic growth,
agriculture, manufactures, minerals, natural
history and evidences of progress in the
other.
The need is, we repeat, to expand this
county exhibit feature Of the fair. 1t is a
scheme worthy the best efforts of the State
Board, and of all the people. If enlarged
as it should Be, it will bring thousands
from the far East to view it, who will find
The people OF the north, center, coast and