The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-06-28
The State Fair


ciety were in session the other day in Bangor,
doubtless for the purpose of making arrange
mants for the State Fair which is advertised to
take place in that city the last of September.
A State Fair is matter that should interest
every one who believes in Maine and Name
enterprise. No question of locality or man
agement should have any influence TO dlmin-
ish the interest of any section OF party.
Those charged with the management of the
Fair are, Cor the most part estimable gent e.
men and are anxious to secure an exhibition
that will not only be creditable to the State
bpt have tendency to quicken an interest
among our people in those industrial pursuits
that must give Maine her prominence in the
future and arouse split of healthy rivalry
among our producers.
OF the exhibition of last year, of the essen
tial features in which it failed and of Others
that it carried to excess, the PRESS has here
tofore plainly spoken. Last year, however,
was not favorable one for fair. Until the
Maine election indicated the drift of political
opinion in the country, our people had their
attention largely engrossed in politics and the
fair came too closely upon the heels of the re-
suit, to make it great success even with the
best possible management, which it did not
have. The State Fair last year, was mode
rate succe in its stock department, fair in
its display # crops and fruits but lamenta-
BILE failure in that which should be one of its
leading features-the exhibition of manufac-
tured articles. 1t was, however, a first class
assembly of that class of horse jockeys that
add nothing to the productive energy of the
State, and, SO far as our observation goes,
cannot lay great claim to advancing the So
briefly, ffugality and morality of the people.
This year the manager rs have better field
for operations. There is no exciting politi-
cal canvass to engross the attention of the
people, and they have the failure of last year
by way Of experience; consequently, the peo-
pie have right to expect an exhibition that
will be creditable to the State. How shall
such an exhibition be secured? Perhaps the
Trustees of the Society know and will not
thank US for suggestion. Last year at con-
siderable expense pamphlets were sent to
oAS i~oNihS 1919 anu
of the State, but these failed to secure their
active cooperation. The busy manufacturer
threw them aside, as he does a hundred trade
circulars and the farmers classed them with
the superphosphate catalogues.
The catalogues, posters and advertisements
are well in their way but the merchant who
would sell goods or the manufacturer who
would introduce his products, does not de-
pend upon these alone. They send out their
agents who visit parties and by personal
presentation interest those to whom they de-
sire to sell. In this matter of State Fair,
the manufacturers and farmers of Maine
must be reached by the same means. If the
Trustees will secure the services of an intel
ligent man to visit leading producers in all
parts of the State and thus secure their CO.
operation and then make arrangements to
secure the free transportion and return of
their goods, there can be no doubt of the sue
cess of the exhibition. To this class of men,
premiums are of no object, A testimonial of
the society will be equally acceptable.
The exhibition should be confined exclu-
sively to Maine productions and not made up,
as is frequently the case, by borrowing from
stores; and if samples of the products of the
hundreds of different industries could he Sc
cured for the State Fair there would be no
room to advertise the goods of other lands
nor need of the same to give variety and
attraction. In woolens, cottons, oilcloths,
boots, shoes, carriages, machinery, furniture,
agricultural implements and hundreds of 9th
er departments, Maine is producing the best
goods taken to market. and if thoroughly
aroused can furnish materials for an exhibit
ton that would astonish and crafty those
who believe in the State of Maine
1t is to be hoped that the manufacturers of
Maine will generously respond to the officers
OF the State Society. to the end that the ex-
hibition of what Maine can do in skilled in
dustry may be the most complete in the
Bangor Fair OF any ever presented in the
State