Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-02-06

Los ANGELES, Feb. ., 1874.
Hon. John G.. Downey, President
Southern District Agricultural Asso-
citation.
My DEAR SIR have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt OF your letter
of the 18th of January last, in answer
to mine of the 18th, and which have
submitted to the Board of Directors Of
the Agricultural and Mechanical En-
position of Southern California.
am directed by the Board to say
to you, and through you your Board
of Directors, that they cannot accede
to your proposition to purchase stock
of your association to the amount
named or to any amount.
AS the consolidation of the two COM
panies on the basis you propose has
been subject of considerable discus
sion through the newspapers of the
city, and in private circles, involving
some acrimony, it is proper to state to
you some of the reasons which control
the Board and people represent in
this matter, in declining to entertain
the proposed amalgamation. To be as
brief as I can
First-Judging from the manage
ment of your association in the past,
they see no probability of harmonizing
the elements represented by the two
companies. Should they become the
owners of majority ofyour stock, they
might, so long as that majoritX re-
NAMED in their hands, be able to die
tate its management; but the exercise
of that right would bring the opposing
elements into conflict, crippling it's
usefulness and finally dissolving it in
ruin. Without harmony such union
would be worse than no union at all.
You have, in your association, a
large and influential class who believe
that pool-selling and betting on fair
grounds are, if not right, necessary to
attract the multitude and secure sue
cess. We do not think so. Our or
ganization expressly prohibits all
manner of betting, pool-selling and
the sale of Intoxicating drinks as a
beverage, on the grounds of the COM
pany. On these questions there is no
compromise.
Our Company is decidedly fixed in
the opinion that agricultural fairs
should be managed in the interests of
agriculture and of those mechanic arts
most intimately associated with it.
While we aim to give proper encour-
agement to all efforts for the improve
ment OF stock, we are utterly opposed
to the practice of racing for purposes
of gambling. We believe the practice
wrong in principle and demoralizing
in its tendency.
There is q strong and rapidly grow
ing public sentiment in our midst
against gambling in all its forms and
guises. The stronger that sentiment
becomes the more resolute will be its
purpose to attack and overthrow not
only fairs but all other societies which
encourage or tolerate it.
Recognizing that sentiment, our
people confidently rely on the hearty
support of such as agree with them
and they do not doubt the result.
pass to the second reason, which
is to be found in sound economy of
means
To obtain a controlling interest in
your association, would require cash
outlay of over twelve thousand dol
lars.
We have offers of ample grounds
we'll located, of from SO to 100 acres,
free of cost. We believe that with an
expenditure of less than eight thou
sand dollars, we can suitably prepare
our grounds for the purposes of our as
ISOLATION. AS financial operation
your keen judgment will, / doubt not
approve our course.
In conclusion, Governor, allow me-
to add that we much regret the cir.
cumstances which compel us to de-
cline your offer. We would gladly
harmonize, if We believed harmony
possible. We shall not make war or
your organization, and shall rejoice il
whatever good you may be able to ac
complish for the district with whose
interests and prosperity we are all Sc
closely allied.
| am, Governor, your obedient ser
want, JOHN S. THOMPSON,
President pro tenn. Agricultural ant
Mechanical Exposition, Southern
California.
The subjoined are the latest posta
| changes announced for the Pacifi,