The record-union., 1891-01-30
CALIFORNIA; OPPORTUNITY.
Arguments in Favor Of the Worlds
Fair Appropriation.
The First Time in Her History When
California Can Show the World
just What She Is.

hlIeeec VI The senate laSt evening, III JOINT
to advocate the passage of the
two bills now pending in the Legislature
to enable California to make an exhibit
at the Columbian Worlds Fair in Chicago
in 1893
Mr.. James Phelan, Chairman of the
Executive Committee, was the first to adj
dress the legislators. He briefly re-
viewed the proceedings of the Worlds
Fair Convention in San Francisco, and
its results thus far. as shown in the form
alton of the association and the selection
of the Executive Committee. He said
that from no part of the State had any OBJ
lection come to the proposition for Cali
forn,a to have coninendable exhibit at
the coming Worlds Fair. The commit
tee had decided to ask for only $500, 900 for
the purpose. The sum was not exorbi-
tant, and yet i'll proper hands it might
prove sufficient to secure cre,,itabie eX-
hibit of the States products and resources.
BY 1884 the farm and orchard products of
California will be largely in excess of the
home demand, and her people must look
abroad for buyers. II is believed the
Chicago exhibition will afford the desired
means OF attracting attention to our mani
fold products, and that it viii result in u
tHcTclOI.
GENERAL CHIPMAN's REMARKS.
General n. p. Chapman, who was Presi-
dent of the Worlds Fair Convention, in
dorsed all that Mr.. Phelan had said. lie
spoke of the representative character of
members Of the convention which had
formulated the movement, and said that
all the counties of the State We're repre-
sented. Intense interest was manifested
by all, and he never had the honor of
presiding over a more intelligent body.
-Four years ago ne had taken occasion to
look into the question OF the fruit indus
try Of the State, and he had come to the
conclusion that horticulture was the chief
industry. We can exhibit almost every
thing i'll that line that is grown in Europe.
We cannot compete with that country in
cereals, but we can in horticultural pro-
duets.
The possibilities of California in this di-
rection are practically unlimited. The
fruit-growing area of France and Spain
are limited, but in California it extends
from enc end OF the state to the other,
covering q stretch OF country some 700
miles in length, and from the Sierra Ne
vada range to the Pacific Ocean. The
State suffers from q lack of population.
and it is only necessary to convince the
people east of the Rocky Mountains
what California can do in order to
fill the State with people. And this
can be done through the medium of the
Worlds Fair. Much depended on the
action of the committees-they could aid
or injure the cause, according as they
might report to their respective branches
of the Legislature.
NJ. NJ. ESTES ARGUMENT.
Hon. M. NJ. Estee next addressed the
committee. He said the bill to aid the
State exhibit was drawn before the
election, and therefore was non-partisan
in its aims. The convention was held
wholly regardless OF anything but pro-
noting the best interests of the State.
The bill before the Legislature contem-
plated the appointment OF seven commits
sicners-four from one party and three
from the other, as there are no hybrids in
the State. Their appointment has been
left to the Governor, as it was believed
he would be guided only by desire to
subserve the material interests Of tho
State in selecting commissioners. No
salaries were provided-only travelling
eXpenses-in the belief that there would
thus be no rush of applicants for the
places.
The committee was there, in obedience
to the Will OF the convention, to make q
proposition for an appropriation of $780,
900. 1t was as small Il sum as will ade-
quately display the products of this great
State. All who have been East lately can
appreciate the necessity for California to
march in the van OF the great procession
of progress. Congress had given s., 000,-
600 to aid the fair, Chicago had voted $lO,-
10000, and all the States of the Union
were falling into line. California can
take the front place in the procession, if
she will.
Last year there were 100000 pounds
of fruit imported into the United States,
and California produced less than ID 1000
600 pounds. There is no reason why this
State should not supply the entire Amer
lean market, and it would if the people
only knew that we could produce the
fruit in sufficient quantity. What we
want to dois to show them that it can be
done. Last year this State produced but
little olive oil, but if a market could be
made for that valuable commodity the de-
mand could be met. California must
show to the world that she can produce
these things, and then she will be called
on for them. She has $50, 200, 0G0 and over
invested in vineyards, and last season
$780, 900 boxes of raisins were produced
The only country we have to compete
with is Spain.
Last years wine product was some
q, 000,000 gallons, and there is no place
in the world where wine is SO cheap as in
California. Hence it must have an out
",
nuts, figs, ETC., but the people beyond the
Rocky Mountains do not know it. He
could recollect the time when Califor-
mans had 20 import the flour they used.
and when there wasn't a fence from Sut-
ter'S Fort TO Stockton. Now all this is
changed. The valleys and foothills have
beautiful orchards, and waving fields of
grain, and improved and comfortable
homes. Last year one county in this
n nv hill Of IN
York City that fairly took away the
breath of the people. He sent for several
boxes and distributed the fruit among
the delegates to the International Con-
gresS. These men came most of them
from orange-growing countries, and they
all agreed that those from California were
larger, finer and of better flavor than any
vertise this great industry and widen the
market for our oranges and lemons.
Mr.. Estee. then reviewed the bill en-
abling country Boards of Supervisors to
appropriate money to aid the State ex-
hibit, the proyisions'cf which are already
well understood. He said: I'VE are here
simply to represent to you what we think
should be done. We do think that $780,
000 is not too much for the purpose asked
when the results to be obtained are so
promising. We are here only as humble
representatives of the taxpayers of the
State, and ask you to give the matter that
consideration which your judgment may
dictate.
This is the first time in the history of
the State" resumed Mr.. Estee, when, by
the expenditure of so small sum of
money, we can show to the various coun-
tries of the world what we have to sell
item. We should have five millions of
people here. The Legislature can give
the people of the East and Europe an OBJ
ject-lessofi, the result of which will be far
more beneficial to us than sending out a
few picture-books. The Columbian
Worlds Exposition should be an EXPOSE