The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-12-01
How Can We Sustain Our Fairs!

How Can We Sustain Our Fairs!
To the Presidentof Naury County
AggicUltural and Mechanical So
ciety:-Feeling an interest in the pros
perity ofvour society, have been no.
ticing its workings and its probable
success or failure, and the conviction
on my mind is that the first and great
est consideration of oil such associa-
tons, is to have their gate fees of suffi-
cient amount to pay all their ex-
penses, including their premium lists,
AM current disbursements.
The money raised by the subscrip-
tiUns of the stockholders should
alone be used in the purchase of the
grounds, and the erection of such i'm.
provement7 aud fixtures as the wants
OF exhibitors and visitors need and
desire. If the gate receipts do not
furnish money enough TO pay the
premium lists, and current expenses,
and the managers are forced to draw
on their stockholders fund, il Is not
hard TO calculate how long society
can last. It is constantly consuming
it5elG For instance, suppose, So
ciC,y at some one of its annual Fairs,
falls short ini its gate money five humid
re 4 (S50O dollars, and that society
solicits and obtains additional stock
holders TO cover this deticiency,-it
takes the annual payment of twenty
new stockholders, and they are GER
tain TO be of their best fair-going
people, and they, by becoming stock
holders, cease TO be payers at the
gvvv, anu Tney take from their rest
source of supply and sink it in a per-
mlnent investment.
1t is true that these additional
stockholders are men identified with
the prosperity Of their society, and
you have their influence, Sc, but
in reply TO that, l would ask, if they
do not obtain their new stockholders
from persons who are already ear
ncstIy in favor of such societies, and
are doing all they can TO promote
their growth?
/ whenever you have obtained sub
scr.ber6 enough TO pay for the
grounds aud improvements, just that
/ soon You have stockholders enough,
! and after that, if the daily attendance
during exhibitions does not swell up
their gate fees to an amount equal to
/ the premium lists and current expep-
.c, then it is not Sc! u sustaining, and
+ the getting ofNew subscribers is only
temporary remedy, and lis ultimate
failure IS certain.
Now if this position is true, and
think it cannot be denied,-then
some other plan should be sought
co., some basis on which il will sus-
tain Itself; and while | ask other. to
devise a plan and means that will
be self disappearing, will venture a
suggestion and plan.
il is now pretty well agreed hat
every county cannot get mp ard keep
alive a good Fair every year. / will
suppose you invite the stockholders
Of such societies in all the adjoining
counties, and in sll others who feel
On interest in similar societies, 10
meet in convention TO take into con-
si1cTa.ion the propriety of establish
iUg district society where annual
Fairs can be held in the interest Of
a.. tie counties represented. sup
poe the counties of Hickman, Lewis.
Lawrence. Giles. Marshall and VIII
hanson, or a majority OF them, were
to form such an association, each
c1lu.y represented in the Board of
Directors. BY such aplon much OF
.le expense attached to the county
Fairs would be saved 10 each county,
a4d yes thcy would have an oppoT-
,Uuisy to exhibit their products and
hau3iworE. Al q district Fair, where
each county would receive the iull
cggai. for all its entries and prizes,
&s., and by this means insure full
display and a large ate ndsnce, con.
aeIuently Increasing the gate fees,
acd enabling the managers to offer
LIBERAL premium lists.
THIS suggestion is made more with
view Of getting the minds of the
public on the necessity Ct some
change, thsn with sny hope or spe-
ri.i desire that this plan will be
adopted. II may, and l hope will
bring out other plans from which
selection nay be made.
Yours Respectfully,