The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-10-14
THE A FAIR.

certainly a humbug, Or, rather, it cul-
minated to that point last year, and was
barely bettered this year. 1t is so con-
trelled yet as to be more of a political and
partisan than an agricultural and bene6-
cent institution. Instead of being managed
and directed by farmers, stock-raisers,
hortieulturists, and mechanics, it is con-
trolled by politicians, professional men,
and mere townsmen.
There is a better condition of things
promised for the ensuing year, yet the
heaven of old influences is quite strong
within the new organization of officers. a
farmer has been chosen for President of
the Society, and this alone IS promise of
future good which was not foreshadowed
in former years. But still there are among
the real managers of the Society too 11any
of a class who ought never to have any
control over it-men who are not agricul-
~turists, who are not mechanics.
We witnessed the election of the officers
tor the ensuing year at the Fair Pavilion
on the 9Th inst, and saw enough to con-
vince us that there are many and radical
reforms yet required to bring the reputa-
ton of the Society up to the high stand
ard it ought to occupy. Political favorit-
ism, ~partisanship, and s~elf-interest were
painfully, VIGOROUSLY apparent, in the
election. 1t seemed more an election
polls where certain Abolition leaders were
endeavoring to prescribe Democrats, and
where the same men were advocating only
their own personal, mercenary interest, in
discriminating between those of their own
party in candidacy, than an election for
officers who would best fill the positions
for which they were respectively named,
And It seemed also TO be the intention of
those men to have decided there the issue
between one agricultural paper and anoth-
Be present Offering for the patronage OF
the people. Around the polls, busily
electioneering, we're sol ne of the owners
and employees of the Salem Statesman
They all appeared to mainly direct their
energies to procure the defeat of Jas. H.
DOuthitt, a farmer, but a Democrat, of
Linn county, for Pres ident, and of E, NJ.
Waite. of their own party, but who pro,
poses to publish the Plowman, for CORES
ponding Secretary. So bitterly did this
small band prosecute their e~lectioneering
that we know of Instances in which one
of them actually psid for the admission Of
members so as To enable them to vote.
And we heard IN owner of the Statesman
declare that while he knew Mr.. Waite to
be a very good man and an excellent Sec
rotary, he would defeat him simply be-
cause he believed, if elected, ar. ".
awould give the printing Of the Society
to the other Office" As the Statesman
owners propose.to publish a paper osten-
sibly devoted to farming, stock-raising,
and mechanical interests solely, to be call
ed the Agriculturist, and Mr.. Waite is to
publish the Plowman, alsoa farmer paper,
this man in point voted and ele~ctioneered
not for the good OF benefit of the society,
but purely that his own Office might have
awarded to it the printing to be executed.
His candidate was Judge PEBBLES of Sa-
lem, and it will now devolye upon that
gentleman, who was. elected Secretary, tc
act in such a way in regard to the print
ing of the Society as not to provoke the
belief that he had before his election, as
the price of candidacy. pledged himself, il
elected, to give the printing to the States
man. This he can very well do by invit-
ing proposals for the printing, and award.
ing it to the lowest bidder. IF he fails to
do so, it should be the care of the Board
of Directors to instruct him to that pur-
pose, and thus relieve the Secretary, them
selves, and all concerned, from the odium
which would rightfully attach to all if the
printing be given by favoritism to any
particular Office. These Statesman own
ers and employees acted wrong in their
-electioneering in another aspect. They
are not farmers, not stock-raisers, not ag-
~riculturists in any point Of view. And
-o4 oo-4o:ol- &hooo o1ocrav &c man ord mo
chanics ought to manage and have control
of the State Agricultural Society. An
Agricultural Society managed and con-
trolled by newspaper men, lawyers, State
ohce-holders, and toYnspeople, is not the
sort of one to challenge the respect or COM
mand the attention of the men most inter
ested In such an institution.
Eve observed another feature of the
election which is much to be reprehend-
ed. The tickets prepared at the States
man Office contained the names of none,
we believe, who were not Ab~olitionists
and for most of the principal positions, the
names of Abolitionists ofSalem, or Marion
county alone. This is grievously wrong.
The Society is not a county institution.
1t certainly does not belong to Marion
county. Salem does receive the whole
benefit of the Fairs, and profits largely
from them every year in a pecuniary way,
and in other ways, and she ought to be
satisfied with doing this. So does Marion
county receive great benefit from the
Fairs, in divers ways. And Salem as a
town and Marion county generally should
be contcnted with these benefits, and not
log-roll and e~lectioneer for the choice Of
all the lsading officers from among their
own eitizans.
So is it perverting the purposes of the
Society to convert it into a political or
ganization, as has been done in former
years, and was too much the case in the
late election for officers. There was not
a Democrat, we believe, among the4ofi
GERS chosen in 1868 or 1864, and for The