Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-03-21

and fifty cents, and Oh cheese thirteen |
dollars. Deducting the amount offered |
on farm horses, we have remaining |
about ten dollars in premiums offered on
fast horses to one dollar on wheat, corn |
and cheese. The question naturally
arising Then is, rs it policy" Does
the increased value of all classes of
horses i'll the State of Ohio yearly
amount to so much more than the value
of the annual product of the wheat and
corn crop and the sale of manufactured
cheese: Let us see.
The value of the corn crop in the
State of Ohio for the year 1870 amounts
TO the sum of $i2,12O,4 ,4S0. The wheat
crop for the same year was worth S20,-
S73, 800 If the increased value of the
stock of horses in the State for the year
is ten times as great as that OF the
products under consideration, We must
candidly admit that the raising and
training of horses is 4 greater source of
wealth than we had supposed. In 1870
the assessed value OF horses was $57,-
559, ,4l6, which is S93,542 less than the
year preceding. Not 4 very flattering
report in favor of the horse question,
while, on the contrary, the annual pro-
duct of the two cereals mentioned is
greater in value than that of all the
horses owned in the State.
Can it be possible that the officers of
our agricultural societies put themselves
to the trouble to investigate these ques-
tions: 1t seems to me as though they
could hardly have given the thought.
Coming down still more closely to the
Investigation of the question, l wish to
/ Il, la
upon the premium list published by
these societies! How is that class of
stock connected either directly or indi-
rectly with the agricultural interests of
a State: Can any one tell me the pro-
priety ofplacing upon such premium
something like this: Fastest running
hound of any breed ten dollars; loud
est barker ten dollars? 1t may be that
| am little dull Of comprehension, for
certainly the one looks to me no less
proper than the other. Take your Fairs
as class throughout the State, from
those making the least pretensiOns to
such as claim the highest honors, and
the same evil is prominent throughout.
To say nothing of their failure to ac-
complish what they ought, the present
system upon which they are conducted
is ruinous to the interest of the society
that is supposed to be financially bene-
flied by them. Visit any one of the
township or county Fairs in our State,
and what do you see? Instead of a
great collection of intelligent farmers,
each with his farm products on eXhibi-
ton, you will meet horse jockeys, gam
blers and the like; instead of stands
for the exhibition of fruits, Vegetables,
ETC., you will see knots of roughs gath
cred around gambling tables and hear
all day long the well known cry, Chow
much for first choice: and how much
for the field - etc., etc. Instead of our
young men going away from these an
nual exhibitions to compete with their
neighbor in the excellence of their field
or garden productions, they go and pur-
chase horse and sulky and spend their
time driving through the streets, happy
in the belief that, with time and perse-
verance duly exercised, they will have
a horse equal in speed to Lady Thorn
or Dexter. They think horse, talk
horse, and ut the end of years time
have in many known instances been
at speed of Il mile or two. an hour.
And all this is attributable to the inflll-
ence eXerted by our admirably conduct
ed agricultural Fairs. ~
VIII the men who have in their hands
the framing of the laws and regulations
of these societies never learn lesson !?
Are they so stupid that they cannot see
what they are doing or SO perversely
willful that they will have their own
way whether right or wrong? If
horsemen desire to hold Il fair of their
own, why let them do it and never say
them nay, but so long as they are al
lowed to take the lead in and rule our
agricultural societies, so long will their
exhibitions be miserable failures; aye,
worse than failures. sRule," did / say !?
Yes ''rule." No longer ago than the
autumn of 1871, / visited one of these
exhibitions where the officers had taken
a very short step in the right direction
by cutting down the premiums offered
on fast horses. When the time arrived
for exhibition of this class of stock, the
men who had entered their horses gal
lantly rode into the ring and declared
they would not go unless the premiums
be doubled. What was to be done in
such case? What would beings with
half the spirit of North American
Indian nave done? 1t is my opinion
that they would have plainly informed
the men of ''horse notoriety" to either
aecede to the terms as published by the
society or drive on. But instead of this,
down go the weakened officials, bow
ing in humble submissions to the de-
mands of their high-minded arbiters.
This may be true in other cases. If so,
it would be well to seek other men to
fill the same offices with decision and
! firmness enough not to be cowed by
half dozen residents of the county. 1t
would be well to find men who, know
ing their duty, will perform it. Until
this is done, all efforts to carry on agri-
cultural Fairs so as to render them ben
eficial to the residents of a farming
community will be futile and in vain.
Until this is accomplished the patron
age of '!fast horsemen" will be retained
and that of the majority of the inhabi-
tants justly Withheld.
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