Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-12-17
THE HERALD.
The Object Of FAIRS.

In an address at the last Fair of
the Dane Co. Wis. Agricultural So
ciety, Col. W r Taylor, now Presi
dent of the Wisconsin State Agricul-
tural Society, said the chief purpose
OF all the Fairs was to educate the
people, TO bring together the best
stock, fruit, implements, &c, as mod
els, and enable the people to study
q standard of excellence which would
awaken thought and invite to higher
attempts both excellence and profit.
These were not the exact words,
but they embrace the idea, aud it is
important that all who participate
in Fairs should bear this in mind.
With too many, the capture of
premium, and the incidental result in
distinction or profit, ia the allen
crossing object The premiums are
simply aids 10 the matter-accessors
les in the object itself An exhibi~
ton Of the best in what contributes
to success in agriculture is called for,
thAtthe people at large may see, and
study, and compare. Every article,
OF course, cannot be best, but even
what is second or third rate is impor-
tant in an exhibition to add 10 com
parisOn and in reaching conclusions
il serves indeed as good as q purpose,
on the whole as DO the ordinary fail
ures or mistakes in common life in
pointing out the better path which
has beenaoverlooked or neglected.
Two competing animals or articles
Of nearly equal excellence on exhi-
bition aw akened even dull minds. in
many cases, TO study to know what is
really bsst-what points are possess
Ell or absent which would influence
tho award of premiums, and also
which should be- aimed a. or avoided
in breeding. 1t is the same also in
fruits or vegetables. KNOWING is
power" and the farmer WHO aims at
profit or distinction, or boch should
be familiar with the appearance OF
the various breeds OF stock or poul-
try, or varieties Of fruit Vegetables
aud cereals, with which his business
il intimately connected. If he is
not, and neglects the opportunities,
he must expect very poor success in
bis calling, and may clearly calcu-
late in advance on being eclipsed in
the results of his farming by every
watchful, observing or enterprising
neighbor.
In this Wow, Of making the Fair
a school, the whole machinery of
Fairs should work together for that
object. Personal benefits should be
regarded "a incidental only, TO be ac-
copied gladly, Of course, but not to
b. magnided into such proportions
~ TO obscure the real object. Once
let it become apparent, or even be-
loved that Fair Is "run" in the in
ierest OF tho same clique, and it's use
fulness for good is soon gone. The
people learn 20 dispise and shun it..
When they loose faith in tho integ-
rity Of the managers, their interests
In any exhibition held under their
auspices soon ceases. They know
that, even if the exhibition be
good ne--in the ordinary sense
az the term-there will be unfairness
sbout it in some particulars which
will greatly mar the pleasure of wit.
Messing il, or of aiding in it's success.
The success Of Fair usually en-
tails y great deal Of hard work on
somebody with only a general inter-
c-t in the result, and the confidence
OF such persons it is especially inn
portant to obtain and retain. They
will work earnestly and unsel6shly
for the public good, but not in the
interest OF the clques, or firms, or in
dividual, who are striving merely to
carry off premiums and advertise
their wares Their object is q noble
one and so is the svowed object of
tho fair It'll TO awaken, encourage
and develop thought, instruct on
points whore instruction is needed
contribute TO public advancement in
taste and culture. az we'll as TO ma
tcrial profit, and lift tho m asses TO
higher plane of enjoyment. There
may be-, of course, some differences
of opinion as to means best adapted
70 secure these ends, but there can
be none "a TO the ends themselves -
Cor. Country Gentlemen.