Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-07-15
For the Freeman.
Shall our Fairs go up or down!

SHALL Vub ais 81 up VI uVVhs
The solution which the future shall
furnish to the above question will depend
very much. if not entirely, upon the
manner in which matters pertaining to
Fairs are managed during the years which
are to ensue. If they are allowed to be-
come merely agricultural trots," with
a few APPENDICES, just to "take the curse
off, in the matter of few pens of ami
mails, a few coops of poultry. small
show of dairy products, with little fruit
and few vegetables, scattered here and
there, then those who are able to decipher
the handwriting on the WALL" will,
most assuredly, understand that in re-
gard to Fairs the sure tendency is doaon
oard
On the contrary, if these things are
managed with a fair show of wisdom and
discretion.-if tdroritiSm is discarded,
and animals and products are made to
stand on genuine merit, and that alone
if the fast driving of horses is allowed no
more prominence than its intrinsic i'm
portance demands, if honest laboring
men are allowed to fill positions, now too
often occupied by unprincipled, designing
3 sharpers,'' then may we reasonably hope
tn at the tendency will be to rise in popu-
lar favor and esteem.
A Vermont paper, which evidently has
the interest and welfare of the farmers
and working classes at heart, thus speaks
out in meeting" Let the best butter and
cheese and similar products, have an equal
show with horses, and while giving rea-
sonable inducements to the development
of speed in horses, let equal attention be
paid to fast walking, (Which is of far more
advantage on the farm than fast trotting,
and to strength as draft animals, power
of endurance, &c. and the true mission
of the Agricultural Fairs,-the improve
ment of the products of the farm-will
be better fulfilled. Such talk as this has
| common sense about it. What supre me
nonsense that horse which can be forced
| to 90 Il mile or so, a few seconds quicker
than another one, which may possess four
times as many of the characteristics which
enter into the makeup of Il truly good
horse,-should have SO much preference
given him.
Speed in horses is very well, very de
sirable. and should not be overlooked
But while giving to this fair and ample
| credit. the fact should not be lost sight of
that there are several other points abou
horses to be considered, of vastly greater
Importance than mere speed.
The writer has a very distinct recollec
ton of being, last season, at Fair, hell
not thousand miles away, where a very
fine animal was entered for premium il
The class of driving horses. The judges
as usual, We're instructed to conside
style, speed and endurance in render
inc their award. The animal in question
combined these requisites, and to thes
might be Justly added, gentleness ant
kindliness of disposition. 1t might rea
sonably be supposed that such comb
nation of good points would, at least
bring to the animal possessing them
uitling amount of notice.
The writer believes the owner of tn
noble animal might have driven up i
front of the Revere House, Boston, OF tn
Astor House. y. Y, and waited for tn
proprietor of either to " come to the front
and pay him for resting awhile befor
such aristocratic resorts, rs to enter h
horse where he did, and allow himself
look for any premium. Why so? becau-
others. horse men, perhaps, or those hay
inc a horse to sell, have the ear of tn
committee The owner was only
farmer. D. T. A.
Mortified, July 10Th, 1874.