The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-02-08

At meeting of the Kansas State
Board Of Agriculture, held at the Ag-
ricultural Rooms on the 2Sd, oath and
25th of January, 1877, the question OF
holding State fair in 1877 was dis
cussed at length. The matter was re-
ferred TO special committee, consist
ing of John Kelly of Wichita, r. W.
Jenkins of Pottawatomie, VIM. Sims
and w. p. Popenoe of Shawnee. On
the 25th the committee made the fol-
lowing report, which was unanimous
" adopted by the Board, and the Sec
rotary was directed to furnish the same
to the press and agricultural organiza-
tions of the State:
To the State Board Of Agriculture:
Your committee, to whom was re-
fcrred the question of holding State
fair in 1877 under the auspices of this
Board, respectfully report
That they have given the matter
most careful and candid consideration
and from all the lights before them,
would do violence to every sense of
duty if they did not urgently recon-
mend that no State fair be held during
the current year; and for this unani-
nous judgment, your committee as
sign the following reasons:
First-There is no contingent or pre-
MUM fund to fall back upon in the
event of financial disaster, resulting
from bad weather or otherwise. The
history of State fairs in this and other
States, for several years, has been a
series of financial failures. Even the
great State of New York, with her
dense population, failed to meet ex-
penses at her last annual exposition.
The fair associations of Leavenworth,
Fort Scott, Wyandotte, and many 9TH
ers in this State have been signal fail
ures, and in some cases the grounds
have been sold by the sheriff and the
associations disbanded. Your COM
mittee are of the opinion that, in view
of these facts, to attempt to hold fair
and promise money for premiums,
which they have not in hand, would
be an objectionable business blunder.
Second-We cannot ask for an appro-
priation, for the reason that the object
and results are not sufficiently State in
character. To justify the use of pub
lie treasure for the payment of premi-
ums, benefits should be general, and
not local. State exhibitions in Kansas
have always been local in the distribu-
ton of awards. Fairs have been held
at Leavenworth, Lawrence, Fort Scott
and Topeka, and in each case about
sixty per cent. of all premiums award
ed were awarded TO citizens of the
county i'm which the fair was held, and
about two-thirds of the remaining for
ty per cent. TO citizens Of adjoining
counties-those living along the lines
of railroads having, of course, the adj
vantage.
Third-There is all uBcomproinising
antagonism between the horse and 9TH
err interests which center at all State
fairs. This antagonism is positive, un-
relenting and disastrous. The owners
of fast horses are clamorous for high
premiums for speed, and unless they
are large, horses of note will not be
entered. Farmers and those represent
ing other industries rebel against large
premiums for such purposes, claiming
that these animals, as rule, are kept
for gambling; that they add nothing
reproductive industries in short, are
worthless for any thing else than for
sporting Thew can see no equity in
awarding five hundred dollars for
speed, and only fifty or one hundred
dollars for the largest and best collec-
ton of fruit or farm products, or the
best roadster or horse of all work. In
addition 10 this, it is claimed that
horse-racing at fairs is attended with
corrupting influences, such as pool
selling. betting, drinking, ETC., with
which young men are brought in con- |