174 PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-THIRD FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 



ADDRESS ON THE ALASKA-YUKON EXPOSITION. 



By J. A. FILCHER, of Sacramento. 



Mr. Chairman and Ladies and Gentlemen: I believe my name is on 

 the program for a short affliction to-morrow. Being pretty busy, I 

 just arrived in Marysville this evening, and I want to thank the Presi- 

 dent for the opportunity to say a few words to you on the subject of 

 his suggestion, because I had it in my mind when I got up to-morrow to 

 tell you. It would be more fitting, I suppose, that I should talk to you 

 about the State Fair or the Exposition than about peaches. 



The Governor has seen fit in his wisdom to name me as his represen- 

 tative at the Alaska- Yukon Pacific Exposition, which is to be held in 

 Seattle, Washington, beginning the first of June, 1909. You may think 

 the appointment is early, but it is not. Experience has shown that it 

 will require a little time to get the people acquainted with what is 

 expected of them, and it requires one year's good work to assemble a 

 creditable representative exhibit of California's resources. You will 

 all, as Calif ornians, agree with me that it is incumbent on us, when- 

 ever we attempt to make an exhibit, to make a good one. I remember 

 it was said in regard to Portland that the fair, being of secondary 

 character and importance and neighboring, it was not necessary for 

 California to spend much, but that it would be sufficient for the* purpose 

 to make a little exhibit. I remember I replied to that, that California 

 had a reputation to maintain and that it were better for California not 

 to attempt any exhibit at all than to make a poor one. That idea we 

 maintained and we did make at Portland a good exhibit. It is probably 

 not becoming for me to say it, but I will say that we were far ahead 

 of any State exhibit at that exposition, and, surprising to me, we received 

 more direct and indirect benefit from that exhibit than perhaps from 

 any exposition we have ever exhibited in, and I think I am competent 

 to judge. It has been my misfortune, I guess I ought to say, to repre- 

 sent California at eight expositions — six in this country and two in 

 Europe— and I have been particular in noticing the results of those 

 exhibits. Before the Portland exposition there was in the Northwest 

 what amounted to almost a deep-seated antipathy to California. 

 Whether or not it was prompted by jealousy I do> not know, but we saw 

 it and felt it in the air when we got there and we read of it in the 

 papers. I remember a terrible tirade coming out in the Oregonian, 

 soon after our arrival in Portland, against some manufacturer who was 

 buying crude oil in California and allowing Oregon slab-wood to rot 

 in the yard— simply to show how jealous they were of sending any 

 money here. At a banquet early in the session Governor Chamber- 

 lain of Oregon made a speech and all his references were to the 



