The San Francisco call., 1905-04-01

portions, and hence some of US need to be
and multifarious attractions of the country in
which we live born but yesterday-an un-.
broken wilderness-and still glorious with the
yirility and beauty of youth.
Nature fairly revels in california Here
every valley and mountain bids the tired deni-
zen of the city to enjoy its opuience and
grandeur. From remote places large numbers
of people flock to this State because they have
discovered, by comparison with other lands.
that California is sportsman's paradise-the
garden Of the world
Once L heard a busy New Yorker chained
to the chariot wheels of commerce. exclaim:
What are you doing away from home? Ii
had my way / would live and stay in Cali
fornia.' He was asked were not the oppor-
tunites for business greater where he was.
Yes" he sadly answered, but the opportunf-
ties for living are less" He said that within
easy distance of California cities one could In,
duIge in every sport-in fishing. in shooting, in
camping out, in mountain climbing, under fair
skies. every month of the year.
And this is true. and one of the objects OF
State and country the magnificenee of our her
itage No State compare with California
nor in her mountains her forests and her val
leys; and II we can bring these facts home to
our people, we will not only have en-
hanced the glory of our State, but we will
have conferred a priceless boon upon those
who are wise enough to enjoy her bounteous
hospitality in forest and by stream.
NATURE A MORALIZER.
If we can turn men from artificial to a
natural life we will have served high and
worthy purpose Nigor, Inspiration, joy, the
exultation OF the spirit and the glow or health
come from a more intimate acquaintance with
the woods and the grasses and the streams,
peopled by strange objects, too unfamiliar for
the most part to city-bred men, Longfeilow
repines
',oh. How canst thou walk in these streets
Who hast trod the green turf OF the prairies?
Oh, How canst thou breathe this air
Who hast breathed the fresh air of the noun
tains?
Ancient mythology. with its satyrs and
nymphs with its Diana of the Chase and
Proteus the Shepherd, poetIcally pictures tbs
simple transports OF idyllic days when the
world was young. 1t is unfortunate Tor use Ii
in our estimation the world has grown old.
But such is not true. for Nature renews herself
every spring, just as this joyous season of the
year, and the only scars upon her fair face are
inflicted not by the ravages of time, but by
the depredations of man. Nature is just as
charming and radiant to-day as she ever was
to primitive peoples, but the sin OF our com
plex civilization is that the people. in SIM
plicity and strength. have ceased to be prim-
itiye.
Nc are told in fable, which has deep Sig
nificance in its meaning, of Antaeus, the son
of Terra. that whenever. in wrestling. he
strength and so long as he remained in con-
tact with ii he was invincible. We must re-
turn at times TO Nature. which brooks no re-
straint and which can be commanded only by
being obeyed.
From this exhibition of forest fish and
stream let us go forth with more lively in
terest in everything that pertains to Nature
and see the wisdom of throwing off occa-
sion the thralIdom of city life in order that we
may better appreciate and more fully enjoy
the excellence and the variety of game and
fish in California and the delights and health
fulness OF all sports which brings us in closer
relations to the God OF Mature
Let us preserve and not destroy the redwood
and sequoia, both a measure for beauty and
utility. for are we not told that the forest is
the mother OF the Fountain The national
and State governments nave acquired large
areas of woodland and scenic parks and have
passed laws for the better care of all OF our
game resources, and the policy of preservation
thus inaugurated should enlist the enthusiast
tic support Of the people OF California
Well pleased will be this association II the
first exhibition of forest. fish and game shall
serve, even in small degree. to bring about a
better understanding OF the sweets and vir-
tues that are in the ground. the waters, the
trees and the strange progeny which iuhabit
them. designed for discriminating use as
the lords of creation.
OTHER SPEAKERS.
DIR. Frederick w d Evelyn followed
and spoke OF the difficulties of getting
the exhibition started and, completed.
and the pride taken in the fact that
the work was the result of efforts Of
the business men of the city.
Joaquin Miller then read a poetic in
vocation written by himself entitled,
THE Trees of Eden
With a short parade by the Nayajos
and a speech by the chief the ceremo-
nial part of the evening closed and the
visitors were at liberty to roam among
the exhibits until IL o'clock, when the
band played Home, Sweet Home" and
the army and navy bugIes rang out
taps" Every Saturday morning from