The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-20
The State Fair.

The annual gathering of the people fol
virginia which the Stale Fair causes IS one
If the most pleasant occasions of the year.
Il is GOOD for the people thus to assemble
toretber. II would bc wise Cor them so to
do il they had nothing else to do when as
semblcd than TO shake bands, tell one an
o,hc, of their crops. their losses, their hopes
and fears, and their plans. tt serves to rub
of the rust of rural retiracy, enliven the
feelings, teach city people how much more
sensible than themselves their country cou-
sins are as to many matters of everyday life,
and wake each man up to the fact that ne
does not reside In the exact centre OF the
civilized world. AS somebody says In ola
Major HoRRy's Life Of Marion, cit takes
the cobwcbs out of mans BRAIN" By the
way, this was said Of good morning dram;
and 1t reminds us that the good living which
we all try to enjoy during the time oil the
Fair has, as HENRY WARD BEEcHER says, "a
ciyilizing influence" when partaken OF III
COMPANY with the landed gentlemen OF VII
rinia. and washed down by good humor, an
ccdotes, Jokes, hearty laughter, and general
joyousness.
But our grand State Fair is not simply an
occasion of personal happiness. 1t is much
more. 1t stimulates production and I'M
proves the quality of the products. A man
is not going to look at the fine hogs Which
he sees here, and then so home and be con-
tent with raising pigs that weigh only a
hundred pounds net. He cannot see the
magnificent becf.cattic that are annually eX-
hibted here, and afterwards pride himself
upon such cattle as had previously been his
boast. He cannot examine the new and I'M
proved farming implements-the threshlnS-
machines, the washing the sewing
machines, The ploughs, the cultivators, the
harrowS, the churns, the cooking-stoVcS. the
apples, the peaches, the pears, the melons,
the pictlrcS, the thousand and one articles
that the managers collect together for his III
specton, without being thereby benefited.
His mind will be expanded, his ideas LIBERAL
tied. and his proynciaiism diminished. Nor
can he witness the trials Of speed amongst
so many fine horses without realizing that
the horse is Il noble animal, and worthy OF
his best care. The beautiful fowls put to
shame his miserable flock, and cause him to
strike for higher g game" But We are not
going to catalogue the iuerits Of the State
Fair.
1t is now but eight days until the COM
mcpccmrnt of the Fair. The managers
have done and are doing everything that
they can to make ii 4 success. Or course
all the railroad compauics will issue half
fare tickets. 1t is sort Of liherality which
paws them not only i'll the goodwill or
popularity which it makes for them amongst
the visitors, amongst whom are almost al
ways majority of the members OF the
Legislature, but i'll actual receipts. The
grounds, if the weather is good, will be in
splendid condition. The number Of eN-
hibitors will he unprecedentedly large.
From the great West we must have contri-
buttons of such articles as have not hitherto
found their way to our Fair. We can think
of nothing that will not be done to add to
the attractions of the occasion, and recon-
pense our visitors and exhibitors for their
annual trip to the great Richmond Fair.