Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-19
WHERE SHALL THE CITRUS FAIR BE
HELD?

HELOt
The question is again up as to where
the Citrus Fair for the Northern and Cen
trail District should be held. Last year
the State Board of Agriculture gave the
fair to Oroville. At that time it was
understood that Marysville would be the
leading applicant this year, and that no
place north of her would compete for it.
Sacramento gave some indications of a
desire to have the fair of 1891, but thus
far no steps have been taken that indicate
any vitality in the matter so far as this
city is concerned. We assume, therefore,
that the people of Sacramento do not pre-
fer any claims in the matter. Marysyille
is, however, making vigorous canvass for
the location of the fair in that city, but
San Francisco is the strongest, most per-
sistent seeker after it, and it must be con-
fessed that her claims are exceedingly
weighty.
We believe that Sacramento is eminently
holding of the fair, and that here it would
largely fulfill its purpose. But as there is
manifest no disposition here to contest for
the exhibition, Marysville and San Fran
cisco are the competitors between whom
the Board of Agriculture must choose. If
the purpose of holding the fair is to slim
ulate local pride, and aid in week of
local holiday and social events, then to
hold the fair at Marysville, which is an
orange-growing center, is most desirable.
If the object of holding these fairs and
using State money to promote them is to
secure the largest possible and the most
varied, intelligent and well-to-do audiences
to examine the exhibits, with a view to
interesting such people in investment in
the interior sections, then unquestionably
San Francisco is the place for the fair.
All our sympathies are with our sister city,
Marysville, and none will go farther to
subserve her best interests than the
RECoRD-UNIoN but we believe that her
interests will be best served by conserving
the thick settlement of the orchard and
other lands of the Sacramento valley and
the foothill regions. One way to such an
end is a fair of products in the center of
population and travel, which San Fran
cisco certainly is, above all other places in
the West
While the fair last year at Oroville was
success, locally a grand success, 1t is
within bounds to say that not three
hundred people from without the central
part of the State visited it, and that not a
round dozen of tourists or Eastern people
went out of their way 10 examine the
splendid evidences Of the capacity Of the
northern section to grow citrus fruits. The
transient public in San Francisco is not
less than from FIVE to six thousand daily
There are from five hundred to six hun
bred Eastern people of means entering and
departing from that city daily. The local
population is in excess of 100000, and
there capital and enterprise most largely
concentrate. While 1t is possible that five
thousand people visited the Oroville fair
last year, had it been located in San Fran
cisco hundred thousand would have seen
it. Very much the same will be true if
the fair of this year is located at Marys-
vile 1t would be less local were it placed
at Sacramento, which is a travel center,
and through which so many of the East
ern travellers pass. But even Sacramento
would not be able to insure as spectators
the attendance of the travellers by the
Southern routes, while in San Francisco
all such as come north at all are certain
TO locate temporarily in the metropolis.
Looking, therefore, at the question as
cold business matter, every dictate of self
interest ought to move the interior coun-
ties to have the fair held in San Francisco
this year. The purpose of these fairs is
not TO stimulate the people in citrus dis
tricts to grow citrus fruits-they are al
ready sufficiently informed upon the sub
iect; it is to invite the attention of the
stranger to the capacity of the climate
and the soil; to induce investment and
settlement in the interior; to remove false
impressions that have been cultivated
concerning our supposed Arctic climate;
to interest the Eastern visitor to the State
by showing him the product as the proof
positive Of the character of the soil and
the climatic conditions under which such
production is possible. The best way to
attain these ends is to place the exhibit
where the most idle capital is fo,- aud
where the most men and .-o,,,,, ~, 80
able and disposed = invest are 10 be drawn
INTO .ae exhibition. For these very rea-
~eohs Placer county last year held an indie
pendent citrus fair in San Francisco, and
on all sides it is admitted that it was WIS.,
tied by twenty fold more people than
attended the two official citrus fairs
north and south IN the same season, and
received thrice the attention from the
press and people abroad that either of the
two official fairs secured.
Marysville can only have local pride in
this matter. Let her restrain it this year,