The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-06-13
From the Southern Farm and Home.
Letter from John Pl0whandles.
PREMIUMS AT STATE FAIRS.

MIR, EDTToR-The time is at hand when the
Executive Committees of the various State Ag-
ricultural Societies will perfect and publish
their premium lists for the fairs to oe held IN
the coming fall. Before they do so, and | hope
I am still in time, I want to snake few re-
marks" which may reach these. gentlemen
through your columns.
First and foremost in the interest of agricul-
ture. protest earnestly against all offers of
premiums for horse -races-whether trotting,
pacing or running-and ask that all che money
intended for horses be given to the best plow-
horse, the best wagon-horse, the best brood
mare for farm purposes, etc., excluding COM
pletely racing and "fast going" of all kinds,
and including only that which conduces dl-
rectly to progressive farming. am not of
opinion by any means, nor do / wish to be un-
dersteod, that we should neglect to improve
our breed of horses, or that good farm horse
is necessarily scrub But, under the thin
disguise of desire to improve the breed OF
horses do not wish to see the money collected
to benefit agriculture squandered among jock
eys and professional gamblers, while the vital
interests of agriculture are neglected, or en-
eouraged by prize of a couple of dollars or a
copper medal. do not again want to see ff-
teen hundred dollars carried away by the fast
horses of the aash-men of the turf while the
producers of clover and grass crops receive
prizes which do not pay the expense of sending
the samples to the fair.
I do not want any side-shows of any sort,
neither races, balloons, thimble-rig tables, or
any similar exhibition; but do want an aagri-
cultural fair, where everything which can ben
eft agriculture and enlighten the agricultqrlst
will be exhibited and encouraged. and where
every dollars that is spent will be devoted di-
pectly and exclusively to this end
% In the Northern States and in Europe, where
The fairs are got up with an honest desire to
fulfill their avowed purpose-agricultural i'm
proyement- -horse-racing is never permitted at
fair. for the reasons-frst, that it has nothing
whatever to do with agriculture; and second,
that it has demoralizing and pernicious ten
dency, and should not therefore be counten-
anced by societies whose aim it is to improve
and elevate the morals of the people.
If our agricultural societies are compelled,
in order to get up "big show" to beg the
money for their premium lists from towns and
cities, givingthe corporate authorities of these
towns the right "to get back their money" by
all sorts of side-shows, which will collect
large crowd, then let them be content with lit.
lie shows which they can manage and control
themselves, and in which the agricultural
classes will feel that it is their show, where all
that pertains to their interests and vocation are
provided for and considered. Let the Execu-
tive Committees cut their coat according to
their cloth, and not attempt what they cannot
perform without abandoning the purpose which
they pretend to promote.
Look back, Mr.. Editor, over the premium
lists of our fairs for the last two or three years,
and see the proportion of money expended in
premiums for horses and that expended for the
encouragement of the production of the small
grains, clover, the grasses, and other forage
crops; and can any man honestly pretend that
the owner of Mamie Douglas, running round
mile track in LA, with little negro on her
back, deserves higher prize at an agriculturat
fair than the man who has produced unusually
fine crops of grain and forage plants, or has
discovered an improved method OF raising
them? Yet the one receives $500 for the racer,
and the other SIS or $40 for his clover or his
hay! :, 49, ;. y, ,,,o.o,,a
and no money if you do not have racing, and
owners of race-horses will not bring their
horses unless you give good big purses; there
fore if you want to get the money to give the
agricultural prizes you must have the races
and the monkey shows; they are the main
thing" So say the apologists of this system,
and our Executive Committees consent to do
the "evil that good may come" deny that
the reasoning is true, insist on it that If our
fairs were purely agricultural exhibitions, the
planters and farmers of the country who now
STAY away, having no desire TO see horse-races,
would attend, and derive and impart knowledge
useful to their great interests The men who
want to buy and sell pools, and "bet their
money on the bobtail nag" would stay away,
because they find no amusement or profit In a
large Weld of wheat, clover or orchard grass,
sfne plow, reaper, cultiyator, or anything
else which promotes agriculture. But we could
well spare their presence, and could console
ourselves by the increased attendance OF the
good farmers and their families, who would
attend show exclusively their own. How can
cur societies make the farmer believe that they
are anxious to promote the farming interests
when they offer S. to the man who produces
the largest yield of any food crop-say turnips
and offers $500 to the jockey who has the
fastest race-horse? Think of the crowds you
have met at these racing fairs How many OF
them did you recognize as farmers? When the
blowing match and the running race came off,
how many out of the crowd looked at the one
and how many at the other? Are we to be
content if our fairs are big frolic, largely at
tended and yielding large receipts, without any
or but secondary reference to the object which
it is pretended we have in view2
Mr.. Editor, am for the farmers, first, last
and all the time. l know how they feel on
this subject, and how disappointed and dis
gusted they have been by many 0! our lalrs,
where they had every reason to feel that they
were playing second fiddle to a race-course.
don't design to preach n sermon against
racing, though / have very decided convictions
on the subject, but 1 do insist that it has moth
ing to do with agriculture, that it should not be
mixed up with it, and that it should not be al
lowed to swallow up money ostensibly given to
encourage agricultural improvement.
Let the agricultural societies have the nerve
to do right, and not allow themselves to be CO.
creed into false position. If they cannot get
money for big premiums, let them offer small
ones, and they will soon find their reward in
the assertion of true principle, and in the in
auguration of system which will really ad-
vance the agricultural interests Of our people.
Respectfully, yours,