Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-10-02
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Wednesday Mornisg. Oct. 2. 1878.
Agricultural Fairs.

All the fault-fndng which attend the
holding of agricultural fairs does not ex-
tinguish them. or even perceptibly injure
them. Every year they make their ap-
pearsnce, with new attractions, greater
interest, and larger attendance. The in
direct benefits of the town, county and
State farmers fairs" says the Newbury-
port Herald. "are even greater than those
for which they are specially established.
The fair is to encourage great crops, fat
cattle. serviceabe and fast horses, cows
which give rich and abundant milk. skill
in ploughing, knowledge of fertilizers
and all the processes of the most success
full farming. This is the direct object,
but it is more than all this to the farmers.
II takes them out Of the routine which is
dwarfing TO their humanity, and making
them more farmers than men. Every
trade and profession narrows the man
who devotes himself exclusively to ii.
Even what are called the liberal profess
sions are no exception. One would sup
= pose that the minister would be the most
liberal of any. His themes are the high
est and the broadcast his opportunities for
study and observation ample, but the min
lister with \ parish on his hands has many
narrowing influences against which TO
contend. He is apt to judge OF merit as
proportioned to the assiduity with which
people attend meetings or subscribe for
the support Of the gospel, and it is curl
Gus n observe how much broader and
more liberal they become when retired
g from the pastoral duties with compe
+ tent support. The legal profession is
called liberal. but the lawyer falls into the
habit Of looking to prescription as the nj
innate authority. and they learn to look
upon morality IS conventional. Some of
them announce II in these bald words. and
! it 10 narrowing tendency Of the law to
bring men to this view. The physician
becomes pedau,ic in his profession. and
! the storekeeper gets to measure every
thing by his own yardstck and scales. and
every trade and calling has some narrow.
&. ing influence against which men have to
contend If they would be full. round men
81, The occupation OF the farmer is favora-
{ bic to independence of character and not
wholly unfavorable to independence of
though. But the toll is so absorbing. the
business leads to so infrequent intercourse
with men, except the same round of &C.
quaintances, that the farmer is apt to grow
stupid a. to everything but his own round
OF employment. and it is common to hear
] the epithet applied "a rusty old farmer
II Is not uncommon for a bright and prom.
ising young man 10 become rusty old
farmer. and the brighter, more energetic,
and the more assiduous in business, the
more likely he is to fall into the ruts and
become more Of q farmer than he is of
man. Now the agricultural fairs lift the
farmer out of his ruts and set him upon
an entirely new track, or at least so far
new that it rubs off the rust and the dust
of the home soil and brings out the man
underneath. Sunday and the parish meet
ing house do something in this way. and
the town meeting good deal, but the ag-
sicaltural fair brings him in contact with
men Of similar pursuit with his own
but Of diverse views. and also with men
whom he does not see elsewhere. 1t ISIS
stimulus which Is needed to the monotonv
ofoountry life, and an influence more ben
e6cial than the promotion of breeding fat
oxen. fast horses. great mixers, big crops.
and fine ploughing. The farmer is bene-
fited more as a man than as farmer by
these gatherings. The social meeting,
alone. Of men from different neighbor-
hoods IL polishing influence, and there
are always new notions, new suggestions
and new intimacies which break in upon
the routine of the farmers life with bene.
fetal effect. No class need such influen-
ces more. Men of all occupations in cities
and villages meet daily with other men of
varied occupations. The townsman is
narrowed by his surroundings just as
much - the countryman but in different
way, and he needs different corrective.
To the farmer the autumn fairs are bet
ter fertilizer to his own soul than to the
knowledge of his business. Moreover
they are pleasant and profitable to all of
rs. for the roots Of our prosperity are in
the soil" az
: Statistics from the office of the Comp
troller Of the Currency show that for the
six months ending with the LIST of March
last. the national banks charged up losses
to the amount of nearly Gil, 600. 0oO and
Of this upward Of two millions consisted