The morning call., 1890-07-11
TIE ADMISSION FESTIVAL.

On September 9th, little less than two
months hence, the tortieth anniversary Of
the admission of California will be cele-
brated. 1t is proposed to make the occa-
sion memorable. The 9th falls on a Tues
day, and is, Of course, 4 legal holiday. At
the request of number of citizens the
Governor has proclaimed a holiday for
Monday, the Sth, as well, so that the cele-
bratiOn viii cover two full days. The de-
sign is for San Francisco TO invite the eiti-
zens of the interior counties and Of sister
States 10 become the guests Of this city; it
is proposed to give them right royal well
come, and to insure them a good time. For
this purpose collectors are, or soon will be,
al work soliciting subscriptions for the ex-
penses of the festival. If citizens give lib
orally cur guests viii be treated TO exeur-
sions, fetes, exhibitions of fireworks and
all manner of gala shows, to the end that
they snail all 20 home impressed with due
sense Of San Franchises hospitality and of
the metropolitan character OF the great sea-
port Of the Pacific.
The festival will be more than an occa-
sion of merry-making; it will possess politi-
cal significance. 1t will teach our visitors
that San Francisco is the capital of the
Coast; that here center the wealth, the in
telligence. the taste, the culture and the
genius of the American race on the west
ern side of the continent. AS Paris is
France, and in matters artistic and literary
London is England, successful celebra-
ton will inculcate the lesson that all which
is best in American life west of the noun
tainS is gathered here; that While Los
Angeles and Sacramento and Portland
and Seattle have their advantages and
their claims on public admiration, the nu-
cleus from which Western thought radi-
ateS and the Mecca TO which ambitious in
teIleets drift is the city by the Golden
Gate.
Holiday celebrations play larger part in
promoting material growth than superficial
observers imagine. Men learn more from
object lessons than from books. The
French discovered this long ago. 1t is an
axiom in Paris that money spent in holiday
making is well invested. On every his
tOTic anniversary the municipality Of the
French capital appropriates large sums to
decorate the city and furnish free shows to
visitors. How much of the growth and
wealth and popularity Of Paris is due to this
seeming extravaganza it were hard to
reckon. Certain il is that when a man says
lie is going 10 France he means that he is
tyOAuE ~ 1 ~ 10 htls HiOlCs hhCH al AHiClA-
can plans a European tour he means that
he is going TO the gay city, without seeing
which he would have seen nothing 1t
rests with us to make San Francisco equally
typical Of what is best worth seeing ON this
Coast.
The Canadian Pacific steamers offer to
carry passengers from Hong Kong or Yo-
kuhama 10 Liverpool for $50 less money
han fHa Doqi6a ri ba n
steamers charge for the same service But
The travellers by the cheap route do not see
san Francisco. If We bestir ourselves to
IMPROVE and embe llish our lovely homes. if
a due proportion Of the wealth which has
fallen 10 the lot Of our luckier fellow-citi-
liens is employed in developing the natural
advantages we enjoy travellers will no more
think of saving $50 at the cost Of passing
San Francisco by than traveller in France
would try to save money by emitting Paris
from his itinerary.
The Admission-day celebration will
doubtless attract visitors from the East and
possibly from Europe. September is. per
haps, the finest month in the year to see the
city. The trade winds have subsidized and
the dust has ceased to whrl A balmy
climate prevails. without rain or extremes
Of either heat or cold. San Francisco will
probably appear at good advantage on
the days Of the festival. If every citizen
determines to do his share to make our Wis
itors enjoy themselves and to show them
what cultured and opulent people can do
III the way of extending hospitality the
event should overshadow the memorable
receptions of the Knights Iemplar and of
the Grand Army of the Republic. But to
accomplish this expenditures will be neces-
sary, and for these the money must be pro-
Yided by individual snhscriptions.