The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-26
THE FISHERIES EXHIBIT.
Our Marine Food Resources as an III
migration Card.

Our Marine Food Resources as an I'M
migration Card.
The prospect of securing at the Worlds
Fair a creditable or adequate display OF
California food fish resources Is not at all
encouraging Possessing a larger variety
of edible fish than any other State IN the
Union the failure to make a respectable
exhibit of this important interest IS likely
to be regarded as deplorable omission.
The main trouble at the outset seems 10 be
that the people who carry on the business
of catching fish aud handling 1t for the mar
kets care very little about the matter. Inc
horticultural, yiticultural and agricultural,
the mining and manufacturing Interests are
all eagerly urging their claims to falr treat
ment and liberal appropriations on behaI
of their exhibits. The California fishery IN
terests alone are lukewarm.
The business being principally In the
hands of foreigners accounts In large de-
gree for the lack of State pride and absence
Of enthusiasm and enterprise in this pecu-
liar field of commercial activity. Among
them there Is no concert OF action, and
. though appeals have been addressed TO
them 10 take their place in the grand pro-
cession they continue to hold aloOf.
Unfortunately for the success OF Call
fornia fisheries exhibit the movement actu-
ally originated 10 secure one and which re-
ceved some encouragement from the state
Worlds Fair Commission has been seri-
ously imported by contest between
our two leading universities Tor the
honor of preparing the exhibit. Pres-
dent Jordan Of the Stanford University
advised the commission that he would
at once proceed with the prepare ions. As
the work involved also an expenditure OF
State funds, remonstTance came from the
State University people that the exhibit
ought to be prepared by them ana be turned
over to the college museum at Berkeley at
the close OF the fair. This conflict brought
matters to a standstill, aud thus FAR no ap-
preparation has been made for the purpose.
The Importance of complete exhibit OF
CALIFORNIA; marine-food resources at Chi
cago will be better understood by the great
majority of our own people when the mag
nitude OF the industry and the remarkable
variety of food fish found on this coast and
in its inland streams are pointed out. a full
display of our fishes fit for the table,
together with statistics OF the an
nual catch and the cheapness OF
choice fish in our markets would be another
convincing proof TO the world that living Is
nowhere SO cheap as II Is III California.
The fact that fish food is both cheap AID
abundant is itself a powerful argument to
induce immigration. The California fish
cries exhibit in this regard strengthens tho
same impression which visitors TO the big
fair must gather from viewing the varied
display of agricultural and horticultural
exhibits.
California salmon and halibut cannot fail
to prove a striking revelation 10 the less
favored Inhabitants of other States. 80
plentiful have become bass, shad aud sole
and other choice sea fish in California that
that they are no longer regarded as luxuries
by our people. What must strangers say
in Chicago when this truth is thus made
obvious TO them?
The California fisheries exhibit, 1t is
suggested, should take practical form and
the commercial aspect of the exhibit be
made most prominent by showing in pains
taking manner all the varieties Of fish hay
ing a commercial value.