Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-06-14
Agricultural Fairs a Failure.

Mr.. Thomas Meehan editor of the Gard
ner's Monthly, makes the following state
ments concerning agricultural fairs, and
we think he is not far from correct. What
he has said is certainly worth reading:
This is getting to be hackneyed sub
ject but very little reform has been &C
complished, notwithstanding all that has
been said about the evils. The great fact
remains that agricultural fairs are nearly
all failures so far as the main objects for
which they were instituted are concerned.
1t is a truth no one can gainsay, that
were it not for what Josh Billings calls the
"hoss trot," our fairs would be great fail
ures and yet, these horse races at fairs
are deplored by many hundreds of good
people who would gladly see them abol-
ished on account of the gambling, fraud,
and many other evils which have become
incidental thereto. Many feel the evil who
are managers OF fairs, but they know their
fair would not be a pecuniary success with
out the races which are so attractive to
many hundreds Of people. Without the
money, not only the proverbial "mare,"
but nothing else will go.
And here, we think, is just where the
management fails. 1t takes as much money
to make an exhibition "go," as to make
the fair monetary success, and the pre-
miums offered are usually hardly worth
any ones trying for, even were he sure of
winning instead of having every chance
against the exhibitor as now.
The whole subject of farming is one of
profit and los', and it is the height of alb
surdity to expect any very great spirit in
exhibitors who have to spend perhaps
twenty or thirty dollars. The whole value
of money has DANCED of late years. A
farmer, as we recently noted, who once
sold his cider for seventy-fve cents per
barrel, and now gets seven dollars, and YET
has no more home comforts, is expected to
fight with the sane enthusiasm for two
dollar premium IS his grandfather did neal
century ago. The writer of this has had
considerable experience, both as an exhib-
itor at, and manager of, these very fairs
and he knows from actual facts that these
institutions coull be made just as popular
and just as profitable if high premium:
were offered for articles of farm produce o.
domestic manufacture, without the horst
, races as with them.
Another fact against the success of fair
is the want of sufficient remuneration 70
the active officer. At present few person
of ability can behad. It"don't pay them
to give so much time for nothing, and onl
t those whose vanity is far beyond their az
ricultural ability or men, who, wishing
for some good public office, can afford t
be, "for nothing" prominent at thes
times-take mueh interest in their man
II agement. Theydo nothing until the tim
comes; then they are very active in tn
seeming doing Of good works. a reall
L successful socieT requires an officer VIII
Ii can afford to be Working for year before
5 As for the hose racing, we deplore til
u degradation into which it has fallen as ba
}, as any one can, yet should be sorry to sc
q it abandoned. We belong to that sect G
/ philosophers WHO would not attempt t
y cure patient by killing him.
d We like fast horse, believe in encou
aging the breed of fast horses; and see Il
Ii more harm in awarding premium to th
) fastest trotter than to the latest OK,
III mammoth pumpkin. The betting on hor
s. es is bad but, should the gentlemen of Il
T. betting books undertake to transfer the
e. patronage to grains and roots instead
live stock, it would be as bad, but no mo
Is reason why we should abandon their grow
;. in consequence, thar cease to encoura
Id fast horses because of the affection of the
III persons for the noble animal.
ne John Wesley was once charged with u
~ godliness for introducing Secular airs amor
~ his church tunes. But he well replied tn
- he did not believe in letting the devil ha
IL all the good music We feel very mu
u like this in these fair matters. If peoI
lie pay too much attention to horse racir
don't pull that down; but rather add
W the attractions Of the other parts. Ext
II premiums and extra labor on the part
e. the officers will accomplish this.