The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-10-09
LETTER FROM OMAHA.

OMAHA, Nebraska, Sept. 81, 1875.
DEAR WHIG:-To spend day at the
State fair which has just closed here, you
would suppose that grasshoppers had never
been seen on the great American desert.
Right from some of the counties where
they destroyed almost everything vegetable
living year ago, we see ears of corn
weighing 2 Tbs, pumpkins and squashes
resembling flour barrels in size more than
any thing we can think of; potatoes the
largest we ever saw in our lives, and egg
plants and tomatoes. and every kind of
vegetable known, of the most enormous
dimensions. All kinds of grain of very
fair quality, and a large yield after almost
an entire devastation SO recent, showing
that with any reasonable opportunity the
soil is SO productive that large crops can
be raised in SO short a season with very
slight exertion.
The stock of hogs and cattle exhibited
were Of choice varieties, which would do
credit to any of the more eastern and
populous States, showing that farmers in
the West are alive to the Importance Of
rearing the best breeds of all the different
animals produced for market as we'll as for
home use.
The sporting fraternity, as is always the
case both East and West at fairs, assume
more Importance than the good Of the
community desires. They endeavor to con-
troll everything possible that will in any
way advance their particular branch of
trade, which is to draw money from the
their pockets, without any good results
accruing to the public generally. Hence,
great display is seemingly made to set
forth the extraordinary speed of certain
horses; then the forming of pools to give
the knowing ones an opportunity to blind
fold all those outside of the particular ring
which is to gather the rich fruits of the
uninitiated, and what escapes their shrewd
design in this way, is grasped at by set
of gamblers in another guise, known as
common thieves and pickpockets, who are
sure to congregate numerously on all such
occasions. Then, too, there are the sly
and deceptive monte men. They are sure
to be present in great numbers to gather
the few dollars that the young farmers may
have saved for a six months to visit the
Fall fair. This is now running the agri-
cultural associations all over the country;
so much SO that few of the best farmers
will take their productions even to their
county fairs, so averse are they to encour-
aging that class Of vultures, who follow up
their selfish purposes. They, too, by vari-
Gus means of strategy, secure many times
important positions connected with those
organizations in order to be better able to
carry out their dishonest plans. The con-
sequence is seen every year in the falling
off of interest in State and county fairs.
This is so perceptible that many are
seriously contemplating the abolition of
fairs altogether, or SO arrange them as to
| keep out this, the worst class of men living
in any community, who only live by plum
dering the honest laborer of his hard earn
ings. A few years longer as matters are
progressing, and the announcement of a
State or county fair will merely be consid
cred another name for horse race or a
gambling tournament. Some of the rich
est counties in Iowa have determined to
either return to the original object of county
fairs or abolish holding them altogether.
Such will be the case soon in Nebraska,
after the experience of the two past years.
Even some of our men who should frown
down all such practices, seem to encourage
them; at least by their presence as soon as
the bell taps for the race to start.
Sincerely yours, OCCASIONAL.