The record-union., 1896-08-15
INTELLECTUAL TOURNAMENT
One Proposed as a Feature Of the
State Fair.
Distinguished Speakers to be Asked to
Discuss Great Questions Before
the People.

VIM H. Mills of San Francisco has
written letter to Edwin f. Smith, Sec
retary of the State Board of Agricult-
ure, presenting a novel proposition as
feature of the coming State Fair. The
letter which is self-explanatory, is as
follows:
San Francisco, Aug. u, 1896
Ed F. Smith, Esq, Secretary State
Board of Agriculture, Sacramento
Dear Sir: The State Board of
Agriculture is formed to pro-
mote the agricultural, horticultural
and stock-raising interests of the
State
It's annual exhibitions are held with
reference to educating the people en-
gagged in field culture of all kinds in the
best and most economic methods of
making their industry profitable to
themselves and the commonwealth
. In view of these great objects. it has
occurred to me that the cultivators of
the soil in all the departments of agri-
cultural, horticultural and stock-rais-
ing activities are deeply interested in
the current political issues of the day.
The annual State Fairs are in a high
sense the Harvest Home Festival of the
Cultivators = of the soil. They pause
from their labor for the purpose of COM
pairing the results of the year, of COM
pairing their experiences, of strengthen
ing the bond of Industrial sympathy, of
elevating and ennobling their various
callings and of deriving instruction by
comparison of their observations.
These occasions are particularly in
teresting to cultivators of the soil in
California because of the varied re-
sources of the State. We are engaged
in the production here of every object of
culture known in the Semi-trOpic and
temperate zones of the world. We cul-
tivate fruits in all their varieties. We
have vast industry based upon all the
products of the vine. We are raising the
citrus and other fruits of the tropics and
the deciduous fruits of the temperate
zone. We cultivate cereals in the full
range of their varieties. We are there
fore interested in the fiscal policy of the
Government relating to the distribution
of the impOst duties laid upon foreign
products which compete with our own.
We are interested in the financial issue,
which is a burning issue of this cam
paign. A monetary system is of the
highest significance to all commercial
and industrial activity.
l see no reason why the State Board
of Agriculture may not ask those who
claim to be qualified to instruct the
people of the State upon the current is
sues of the time to appear at intervals
during the coming fair to answer spe-
cific questions which the State Board
may aSk-tO answer these in the form
of an address to the agricultural classes
who viii be assembled at Sacramento.
1 take the liberty of presenting some of
these questions for your consideration:
F'irst-Two addresses on the following
question: How may the interests of the
cultivatOrs of the soil in California be
promoted by tariff schedule; whether
the schedule be formulated with refer
ence to tariff for revenue or a tariff
for protection?
There are various political schools
promulgating theories upon this sub
ject, and my suggestion is that some Of
the leading representatives of these
schools be invited to occupy two or
three evenings during the continuance
of the fair in the discussion of these
questions. We have in California a
number of persons who are familiar
with the questions, and believe that
they perceive the underlying truth re-
lating to them. / take the liberty of
mentioning the names of some: Hon.
NJ. NJ. Estee, Hon. n. p. Chipman, Fon.
". II. L. Barnes, Hon. Thomas V. Ca
tor. Hon. j. b. Webster, Judge Del
Vale of Los Angeles, Hon. John P.
Irish. Hon. George c. Perkins. Hon.
Sam Shortridge, Hon. Grove L. Johnson,
Hon. A. L. Hart, Hon. Horace Davis,
and many others.
Second - The financial issue is one of
paramount Importance, and | think the
board can safely PROFOUND the follow
ing questions for elucidation by the pro-
ponents of the various theories.
How will the restoration of silver to
its free coinage privilege and legal
tender quality at the ratio of 16 to ]
affect the interests of the cultivators Of
the soil in California, and how may such
restoration be best accomplished,
whether by the action of the Govern
rnent of the United States alone or
through international agreement?
beg to call your attention to the fact
that the issue between the Republican
and Democratic parties, the two great
leading parties of the country, relates
only 10 the method of the restoration of