The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1870-07-14
tn + POST.
AGRICULTURAL FAIR.

A"NHsN II ~ AZ hHnt
This is getting to be n backneyed sub
jcct; but very littlc reform has been
accomplished, Notwithstanding all that
has been said about the evils. The
great fact remains that agricultural
fairs are nearly all failures 80 far as
the main objects for which they were
Instituted are concerned.
IL is truth no one can gainsay, that
were it not for what Josh Billings calls
the "hoss trot," our fairs would be
great failures and yet these horse
races at fairs are dcplorcd by many
hundreds Of good people who would
gladly see them abolished on account
of gambling, fraud, and many other
evils which have become incidental
thereto. Many feel the evil who arc
managers OF fairs but they know that
their iuiIs would not bca pccuuiary
success without the races which are
so attractive to many hundreds Of pco.
pie. Without the money, not only the
provcrhial mare but nothing else
will go.
And here, VIC think, is just where
the management fails. II takes as
much money 10 make an exhibition
"go" as to make the fair itself inon-
etary success, and the premiums offer
cd are usually hardly worth any ones
trying for, even were be sure of win
ming instead Of having every chance
against the exhibitor as now.
The whole subject of farming is one
Of profit and loss, and it is the height
of absurdity to expect any very great
spirit exhibitors who have to spend
perhaps twenty or thirty dollar, TO get
the award of two or five dollars.
The whole value OF money has changed
of late years. \ farmer as We receut-
" noted, who once sold his cider for
scventy-iivo cents barrel. and now
gets seven dollars, and yet has no
more home comforts, is expected to
fight with the same enthusiasm for u
o.dol'ar premium ~ his grandfather
near century ago. The writer OF
this has had considerable experience
both as au exhibitor AZ, and manager
If these very fair, /; and he knows from
actual facts that these institutions
could be made just as popular aud
just as profitable it high premiums
were offered for articles of farm pro-
ducc or domestic manufacture, with
out the horse races as with them.
Another fact against the success Of
fairs is the want of sufficient rcnumer.
alton for the active officers. At pres
cnt few persons Of ability can be had
1t" don't pay them" to give SO much
time for nothing, aud only those whose
vanity is far beyond their agricultural
ability-or men, who, are wishing for
some good public office, can afford to
be, " for nothing prominent at these
times--takc much interest in their
management. They do nothing until
the time comes; then they are very
active in the seeming doing Of good
works. A really successful society re-
quircs an officer who eau afford to be
working Tor year before.
As for horse racing, We deplorc the
degradation into which it has fallen
as bad as any one can, yet should be
sorry to see it abandoned. We belong
to tbot sect OF ofphilosophers who would
not attempt to cure patient by killing
him
We like fast horse, believe in en-
courageing tie breed of fast horses :;
and see no more harm in awarding n
premium to the fastest trotter than on
the tattest OK or mammoth pumpkin
Tho betting on horses is bad but
should tho gentleman Of the betting
books undertake TO transfer their pat
ronagc to grains and roots instead OF
live stock, it would be as bad, but no
more reason why we should abandon
their growth in consequence, than
cease TO encourage fast horses because
Of he affection Of these persons for the
noble animal.
John Wesley was once charged with
ungodliness for introducing secular
airs among his church tunes. But he
well replied that he did not believe in
letting the devil have all the good mu-
sic. We feel very much like these fair
masters, If peplc pay too much at
tention to horse racing don't pull that
down; but rather add to the at,rac-
tions Of the other parts. Extra pre-
miums and extra labor on the part Of
tho officers will accomplish this. lie