Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-07-29
Rural AND DOMESTIC.


lnlng on the continent or tht
British Isles doubtless rcmem
bers, away in the dim past, ;
far, in or near his native town
IN some kingdoms i was, anc
IS, 4 special privilege granted t,
i town, as 1t brings to the in
habitants, strangers and money
It's return in some places is an
nual; in others, twice or thrc,
times during the year. Som,
spccliic name, according to tn,
most prominent feature of tho
fair, is always given. There
arc, therefore, horse fairs. cattle
sheep. and other fairs; but
strange rs it may seem or sound
there arc also book fairs. like
the Messc at Lcipsic, in &c,
many; or, fur fairs, like the
one held at Nish- Now ovoge-
red in Russia. But, certain
cuncomitants are. and always
were, to be met at all of til IN.
Prominent among these. the
play, the Straightforward per-
former. tn, clown, the double
headed calf, the fat woman and
ether monstrosities, and last,
though not least. the dance-all
performances which take away,
rather than bring money. 1t is
charged that in Ireland a fair is
not Il fair without a fight: but to
this we cannot testify, never
having seen on Irish fair. At
the Mcsse at Leipsic-which con-
tinues month and includes the
sale of all the products of Eu-
rope as we'll as Of Asia, inclus-
i've OF new publications-inhab-
itants from all parts Of the
world Generally wearing their
peculiar national costume) can
he found, who come there for
the purposes of trade and COM
lnerce.
Just when America, or rather
the United States, commenced
to hold fairs, especially agicul-
tural fairs, we have not the
means at hand to ascertain: they
were, however, introduced in
the early part of the present
century, and after a few years
suspended. We remember a
State fair in New York as early
rs '43, and believe it to have
been the second or third Of the
series Now most Of the States
and counties hold annual agri-
cultural fairs, making the eXhi-
bition of farm products, domes.
tic manufactures, stock of all
Kinds and farm MACHINERY, the
general and dominant features,
but by no means excluding the
above mentioned concomitants,
with perhaps the addition Of
gambling and things worse.
We are among those, who
hold HAT great good may result
TO a State or county from a prop
CT exposition of its various prod
ucts; we believe also that those
products which lead and are
most remunerativc in the State
or county-to the farmer and
mechanic-should lead in the
exhibition and receive the high
st premiums; we further be-
lieve that a successful fair can
be held upon legitimate found
ation-in other words, it is I'M
necessary, nay, positively hurt
tul to community in which a
fair is held, to introduce eXhi-
billions and practices OF a qucs-
tionablc character. Money
hsye receipts are not always a
fair criterion to Judge of the sue
cess of fair. The managers
III y desire money (and it is nee
e-sary that it be forthcoming in
order to pay the premiums Of
fered.) because,ev III offering
prem inns, calculations are
made on entry fees, or gate
money, or membership fees
but it is not the sine qua nan. Ii
we hayc a just conception Of a
good and successful fair, it is
something like this: First, Sc
lect and well-adapteb place for
he occasion, provided with the
necessary buildings in which to
expose such articles as need pro
lection against the weather, and
against light fingers, or, as it is
low scientifically called, clepto
numia. Second, sheds or build
il2s for agricultural machinery
that will be injured by rain; a
music stand (for there should be
i1usic), an amphitheatre, ii
II c.icablc (hy no means an
absolute necessity and the
proper Offices for the conductors
~ Il ncAn, ~ ~, .,..c1; III,