Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-21
THE FAIR GROUNDS.

that there is a probability that the in
debtedness Of the. Tennessee Agricul-
tural and Mechanical Association will
ilecessitate the sale OF the grounds of
the Association. The necessity and
importance of this Association to all
the material interests of the State of
Tennessee, whether these interests per-
tain to the mechanical, agricultural,
commercial, mineral OF moral depart
ments of our State, should insure the
continuance of the Association. The |
agricultural being the chief and para
mount interest of the State, the healthy |
condition of all the other interests de- |
ponds upon its prosperity. Therefore |
all the other interests should combine |
to secure its prosperity, and a prece- |
dent condition Of its prosperity is the |
continuation of agricultural fairs, by |
means of which the agricultural inter
ests of the State will be further devel-
oped. Therefore all Che other interests
of the State should unite with the ag-
ricultural interest to obtain this desir-
able end. And if it be necessary, they
should give not only their moral sup
pOrU DlU pecunldFy dlu.
hold that it is not only the duty of
these other interests to contribute their
mite in the accomplishment of this end,
but that there is a grave responsibility
resting upon the State government,
that cannot be discharged by empirical
Legislation, but only by the adoption of
such a perfect and thorough system IN
regard to this interest as will insure
not only the prosperity, but the devel-
opment of all the agricultural interests
of the State; and if necessary, even to
the granting of pecuniary aid. As the
llrevenues of the State are principally
drawn from this interest, there would
be no great impropriety in appropria-
ting part thereof to establish a sys-
TEN that would further develop this in
terest. Such a course would be in uni
son with the policy that has been pur-
sued by all States to foster, encourage
and develop their great interests. His
tory informs us that all States have
legislated in favor of the great and
controlling interest upon the prosper
ity of which depended their welfare;
and it requires no argument to show
how the welfare of this State depends
upon the prosperity of the agricultu-
rists, nor that it is the duty of the State
to legislate in its favor.
1t is self-evident, that an agricultural
association at the capital of the State
would have happy influence upon the
agriculture of the whole State, and
thus benefit all the other interests of
the State. Through its fundamentally
large masses of our people would be
drawn together twice q year IN the
capital of the State, the results of
which will be happy in many different
respects. And not the least of them,
will be the educational result, as the
principal part of our knowledge comes
from such association as these fairs
will bring about; the contact of mind
with mind generates a common fund
of ideas that will increase the general
intelligence of the whole community.
And the matter presented on such oc-
casiOns for the contemplation of the
mind Will produce another crop of ideas
which Will produce happy results to the
State. And while these fairs are gala
occasions, their utility will be perceived
in the increased intelligence of the
people And if the prosperity
of State, which sup
pose none will deny, is in
proportion to its general intelligence,
then the State orits people should avail
themselves of every educational means
within their reach to increase this in
telligence. And it being apparent that
this Association is powerful educa-
tiOnal agency, then its existence and
continuation Is of Importance to the
commercial, manufacturing and moral
interests of the State. The fact of its
Importance to all the other interests
should induce the combined efforts of
all to secure its perpetuation. And,
furthermore, the people who attend
these fairs from different portions of
the State. return to their homes and
| disseminate among their neighbors the
ideas they have acquired while attend
ing these fairs, and thus their good IN
fuence will be felt throughout the en-
tire commonwealth. And great State
desideratum Will be realized in an edu-
Gated class Of agriculturists. And
these fairs will be great auxiliaries
to the schools of the State,
that are training the future agri-
culturalists for their sphere of useful
ness. And the grounds of the Asso-
citation might be used as a depository
for all geological and geological speci-
mems of our State. as also specimens
of the entire arborial growth Of the
State, with sufficient history attached
to each specimen, or this might be pre-
scented in book form; this addition
would make the place so redolent with
ideas that one could not well enter it
without coming away wiser. And
grounds beautifully adorned as these
should and would be, would have a very
| happy influence upon the aesthetics of
our people. The contemplation of the
beautiful, as thus presented, would tend
to elevate and ennoble the character of
all the citizens of the State. It is the
duty of the State to so adorn its capt.
tai as to attain these happy results,
but if it be derelict in this duty,
then it's citizens as private individuals
| should combineto attain them regardless
of their vocations in life. And If moth
ing else can inspire our people to move
in this, consideration for the youth of
the land, who are having their charac-
ter moulded at the capital of the State,
and by the influenced that surround lit,
should cause them to act in the right
direction. After the statement of the
considerations for the immediate action
of the people, hardly deem it necessa-
ry to further urge the public to act
and to save from sacrifice an assOciatiOn
that will bring so many benefits to the
community at large. If sold at public
vendue, it may pass into hands that will
divert it to other purposes than for the
public good. ID.
| VARIETIES.
All the difference-the ancients used to