The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-08
THE SANTA ROSA FETE.

The most cheering indication of an
awakening of patriotic spirit among the
people of California is the fact that festl-
walls of one kind or another are being held
in all parts of the State, so that it has al
most become difficult to say where the
next feast will occur. We know for GER
tainty that Santa Rosa's carnival is to
open to-day and that the two railroads
leading to this charming city are offering
special inducements to visitors thlther.
We are reminded, too, that the daily pa
pers for some time past have been publish
ing portraits of extraordinarily handsome
young ladies, whose friends have been
"urging their claims" as the prettiest
girls in the Sonoma Valley. One certain
very beautiful young lady has been Sc
lected to serve as the Queen of the rose
carnival, and we may be sure that she IS
surprisingly lovely.
We must admit that there is large de-
gree of wisdom behind the conduct of
those California communities which begin
the presentation of their material attrac-
lions with show in which their flowers
and their daughters are given the first
position.
These and the fruits of all that is whole
some and beautiful in California go to-
gether, and there is no more graceful way
of representing all that is charming and
beautiful in any particular section than by
choosing as the queen of the festival some
young woman who best represents and
embodies the graces of her community.
Those who visit Santa Rosa during the
festival season will find beautiful valley
with peculiar and distinctive charms. Our
people as a rule have not yet learned the
whole lesson of the blessings that await
them in all parts of the State, as they have
accustomed themselves to visit only GER
tain places as a matter of rule or fashion
at one time of the year or another. In
their struggles to do what to them seems
best, they have exhibited such restricted
wisdom as might have been expected from
those who go to this place or that as it
happens to be the present vogue, or as
there may be better or worse opportunities
for displaying good clothes or securing a
foothold in this or that "set." Gradually
are we growing away from these provincial
considerations, and the extent of this de-
parture from settled rule is the measure
VI Juc dOf dnCeU1SIL Vi tAOSC
siderations which distinguish people.
Thus, those of US who visit Santa Rosa
during her carnival show first of all that
we are Californians, and that as such we
are in sympathy with all of the finer con-
ditions which have made US what we are.
There may be some of US too lofty to know
that whatever We are has been the work of
the peculiar processes that have made US
Californians, and that as Californians we
have the right to the exercise of a unique
Independence. Among the privileges with
which these conditions have invested us is
that by the exercise of which we recognize
and are ready to enjoy certain peculiar
pleasures that are local to US, and that are
thus local solely because we understand
their value, while at the same time regret
ting that larger number of the worlds
inhabitants have not similar privilege.
1t would not be possible for residents or
strangers to find in all California a more
beautiful spot than Santa Rosa, or one
whose people are more refined or better
understand the rarest and most gracious
of all the arts-that of entertaining.