St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-10-14
Agricultural Fairs,

WilclllcI uHucI tHc duSplCcS vi N"V'oh
al, State, or only county organiza-
tions. There is evidently something
in these exhibitions which appeals
most powerfully to the national tastes
and s~ympathies. They attract larger
masses of people together than any
other class of entertainments.
They have the same irresistible
charm to Americans that bull-fights
have to the Spaniards, great races to
the English, monster musical festi-
walls to the Germans, and grand fctes
to the French.
We are an agricultural people, the
great body of our population being
dependent directly upon agriculture
for their subsistence, and all other
interests being deeply interested in,
and affected by, whatever promotes
the prosperity of the farmer. As a
general thing, too, those engaged in
agriculture are prosperous, and when
they have gathered in their summer
harvests, and feel that they have well
earned a little relaxation after their
hard labors, they rarely lack the means
to crafty their moderate aspirations
for pleasure. But there must be some
thing unitarian, or at least a pretence
of u~tilitarianism, even in the pleasure
Of an American. He does not feel
easy at the idea that a day should
pass by without making some contri-
button to his material progress. These
exhibitions afford him a happy COM
promise between his usual routine of
employment and his desire for recrea-
ton. He can gain at them new ideas
of the great pursuit of tilling the soil
from his brother farmers, see new i'm
plements, and find stimulants to his
ambition and rivalry in the collections
| of superior stock which are assembled
for his inspection.
But, whatever degree of pleasure
and improvement may thus be derived
from such sources, and whatever
charm may be thrown over these as
semblages, by the array of talent
which they not unfrequently call to-
gether, and the mastery addresses
which are delivered at them, it cannot
be concealed that the principal inter.
est of those who attend these exhibi'
tons seems to be, after all, centred in
the " trials of speed" of horses, which
form one of their most prominent fca.
lures Love Of excitement is an in
herent principle of our natures, and
it finds one of it's most agreeable graf
ifcations in witnessing the contests
Of our favoritc animal. While horse
racing is tabooed by our laws, ant
frewnsd down by the moral sentiment
of the community, it possesses a fas
cination almost irresistible. Nothing
rouses the human feelings and sym
pathies like a struggle in which two
skillfu) antagonists contend with al
the energies of their natures for su
premacy. The passengers of a steam
boat are ready to risk even their owl
lives rather than see a rival boat pass
them on one of our rivers. The can
vass of two strong candidates for
public Office awakens so great an in
terest that thousands become willing
to devote their whole time for weeks
to the c Of their favorite. Will,
the individual tastes of men 60 far tt
determine the character of the strug
gle which shall arouse their sympa
thies, nearly all will find some sort o.
a contest to interest them. The tour
naments of the knights of the Older
time enlisted the attention of the elit'
of whole kingdoms. The sanguinar.
taste of the Romans was best gratitiet
in the terrific death-struggles of thei
gladiators. The Grecians delighted
to crown the victors of their Olympi,
games. Santa Anna is never SO haI
by as when he is witnessing what i
nowadays grandiloquently termed
poultry tournament"
If, however, it must be ~confesse'
that our national tastes have a kee'
relish for horse-racing, it is a sourc
of qualification that public sentimen
has demanded that these exhibition
4 should be freed from the contamin'
ting and corrupting influences assl
ciated with the turf. While our pee
pie enjoy a display Of the highes
: qualities of the horse, they are unwi
ling to c%ountenance the wild frenzy {
gambling excitement, which is an q
most inevitable accompaniment Of til
regular r~acc-course. The "trials
speed of our exhibitions, as far a
possible, give national enjoyment, u
der auspices which prohibit demoral
cation !; and the standard of taste an
appreciation of the horse is elevate
by the variety of tests to which h
} qualities are subjected.
t. 1t is important that those who ha,
charge of these exhibitions should |
on their guard against making the
too exclusively arenas for the me
exercises of the race-course. Spe,
is a great quality /; but there are OF
ers also, quite as well worthy Of cul
sr walton.