The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-09-16
THE STATE FAIR.
Opening Address Of President
Stillson.

The twenty second annual exhibition
of the Wisconsin State Agricultural
Society was formally opened on Tuesday
Sept. 9Th, by President Eli Stillson, of
Oshkosh, who delivered the following ;
OPENING ADDRESS:
We have assembled here to-day to
formally open our twenty second annual
exhibition of the Society. The circum-
stances surrounding are generally of
favorable character. Theprcsent season
has generally been favorable to the Wis
consin fermer. Under the blessings of
Divine Providence the earth has brought
forth Of her abundance, and the farmer
has gathered in his stores and will now
turn his attention to cur Annual State
Fair. These annual exhibitions have
become not only highly entertaining,
but also highly educational to our ntelli-
gent agricultural population.
They are periods that are looked for-
ward to with pleasure, and call together
far greater masses of the intelligent than
any other kind of gathering in the State.
If they have become SO powerful in their
influence how necessary it is that they
be guided by counsel and managed with
view to usefulness and instructiyeness !.
Those State Fairs that baye made amuse-
ments the primary object, and usefulness
the secondary, have Lad very fitful and
uncertain exhibitlon-not so with those
who have made the useful the primary
object and amusement dary-with
such tier march has been ever onward
aDd upward, and they stand out in bold
relief as beacons of progress and success.
Fairs were instituted that the products,
manufactured articles and implements Of
individual localities may be compared,
examined and studied, that progress and
Improvements may be noted and adopted
by the intelligent farmer, stock breeder,
manufacturer and artist. Amusements
are appropriate in their proper place
and time, and may be SO blended with
our gatherings as to enliven and give
zeat to the more useful.
Let us turn our attention to the Ex-
hibition before us. The Horse Depart
ment is filled with choice specimens
some noted for speed others are adapted
to road purposes particularly, and other
for general purposes, while the draught
horse comes in for his full share of praise
and honers. The progress that has
been made In the improvement Of the
horses of this State in the last few years
is truly wonderful.
THE CATTLE DEPARTMENT.
Th Ieng rows Of stalls filed with the
choicest cattle Of the State are the best
evidence of the progress that has been
made Ia this department. From the
tliminutive Jerseys to the stately Short
horns, all the different breeds have pro-
duced many animals Of superior merit,
and shew the progress made in breeoingI
improved stock. They are convincing
preofs Of what can be doGe in stock-rais-
ing, and be done with far greater profit
than tbs raising Of scrub stock. And
the farmer of to-day who fails to improve
his stock, fails to comprehend his own
interests and his surest read to success.
The breeder who meulds and fashions
our domestic animals until they are OBJ
jects Of beauty, symmetry and usefulness,
is far greater benefactor than the great
politicians of the age. The great works
of art are but limitations of life, while |
the works of the artistic and scientific
breeder are life itself in its most useful
and beautiful form. The name of Blake !
we'll, Booth and Bates will live long
after the names of the great politicians
IF the day shall have been dimned by
The vista of future years.
The sheep Department. of the Fair IS
full to everfiowing. Here again We see
The handy work of the breeder, each
breed being bred fer a particular purpose
Ind how nicly each is adapted to the
purpose for which they were grown.
The man who should attempt 70 make
,roadcloth aud cassimeres, or other line
,oods, out of the wool of the Cottswold
heep would surely fail; so with the comb
ng-wools and delain-wools each has its
articular purpose. =