Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-01-03
To the Friends Of the Eastern Division Fair
Throughout East Tennessee.

To the Friends OF the Eastern Division fair
Throughout East Tennessee. H
You cannot object to few earnest words
with regard to the Eastern Division Fair
I is an Institution which belongs TO you
and therefore YOU cannot feel otherwise
than q deep interest in its future success.
II was inaugurated for your benefit, and
for your benefit alone That 1t is Calculated
10 aid YOU in your domestic, agricultural,
mechanical and manufacturing pursuits,
needs no argument to demonstrate. East
Tennessee, without an institution like this,
would be in no enviable condition. Her
material welfare would be widely leopard
lied, as you must admit yourselves. There
would be but little to stimulate you in the
prosecution Of your work. The industrial
classes like all others, must have some
thing to arouse them, and to bring into
requisition their dormant energies. Emu
lation is the spirit that must transform the
age. Laudable rivalry is what we need.
Lofty incentive to the performance of dar-
ing deeds must pervade the body polite.
For too long n time we have been
moving along in the ancient ruts, vene-
rating the WORKOUT customs OF our fore
fathers and casting our blighting scowls
upon all attemps to bound forward in the
imperishable work of progress and active
development. why is this ? 1t is not be-
cause the people of East Tennessee are
less intelligent, and industrious and proyi-
dent than those of other sections? They
are sensible, honest and capable. What
then is the matter? There is but one an
swer-theYe is distressing lack OfGD-
| hcurtCdneSs and robust action. We have
| slip-shod way of doing things, and an ut
! ter aversion at having our own case at all
disturbed. We never seem To. think that
we should perform heroic deeds, or make
| extraordinary eXertion to excel in our
business. THAT, unfortunately, is the bane
of East Tennessee.
I have no hesitation in affirm
| ing that, among the living and powerful
agencies calculated to arouse and to excite
us to high and manly efforts, and to bring
about warm and emphatic competition
among the industrial classes, there is
nothing equal to well conducted fairs.
| There is not an instance on record, / dare
! say, where they have failed in the accom-
plishment of such a sesult. Invariably,
| they encourage and foster a spirit of ag-
| gressive and progressive enterprise. They
! have arouset and quickened into life en-
| ergies which have lain dormand from time
! immemorial. Whole communities have
| been suddenly metamorphosed and trans
| formed from the plodding gait of creeping
| Incidence to the impetuous charge of bold
and resolute action.
! The reason is obvious Competition
sharpens ambition and creates the uncon-
querable purpose not to be out-done
| When skill and industry are brought into
contact then the tug of war; commences
Let US, for example, take the farmer. He
goes to one of these fairs with his stock
but, to his chagrin, he finds himself utter
| ly defeated. His stock are overshadoweC
by others. Instead of having the finest
! as he vainly supposed, lac has the most in
| feriOr. His scrub animals sink into merit
/ ed insignificance when brought long Of
\ the magnificent Durham, the stately Cots
void and the Thoroughbred horse. He
| has just opened his eyes upon anew world
1t is grand panorama. He looks anC
| wonders, and for the first time in his his
tory, discovers that he is behind the age
From this moment he dates new era, anC
begins to look upward. Five years there
after we find him competing with the bes
stock raisers of the country. .
This, gentlemen, is the sequel Of these
fairs. Am l, then, wrong in urging vol
to sustain and rally around the Eastern
Division Fair? Can il be that have mis-
conceived its grand objects and results?
think not. IF taken hold of vigorously
and pushed forward with the strength 0
a giant in ten years or less East Tennesse
will have undergone a radical change 70
the better. The whole system of practica
industry will be torn down ndremodeled
New races of animals will be introduced
new methods of farming viii be adOpte
. and higher intelligence win control on
destiny. / long to see the time when on
honOred section shall come up to the ful
, measure of her glory and her strength. /
only remains for her noble sons and he
fair daughters to do their duty. Let then
: do it. ' c. w. CHARLTON,
Secretary +. ID. Fair.
DECEMRIrR % 1877