Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-07-10
Gambling at Fairs.

The season is approaching when ar
engagements will be perfected for the hold
ing of our annual fairs-town, county and
state-and a word or two concerning them
NAV not be amiss. What Is the aim and
end of these fairss broadly stated, it is.
or should be, the good of the people, and
of the farming people especially. 1t is that
they may be encouraged TO raise better
stock aui produce, and to instruct the
many BY the example Of the few. who are
especially successful in the various
branches, how it may be done. This must
be a benefit. but if the benefit is secured
at grtsaler cost than lis worth. is eco
nomic value is nothing or less than moth
iug-a net damage.
lfa courteous and benevolent gentleman
should show the good sense and good taste
OF bling much pleased with yorr society
and invite You to dine with him, then ride
out and look over the country and then,
coming back to your farm, praise your
land and your crops. your superior loca-
ton and clean cultivation, and finally close
the p rformanee by giving you fifty dollars
As a reward for your various excellenceS !;
would not your estimate Of the value of
his acquaintance and the beauties OF his
character undergo some modification
when YOU discovered that he hal scattered
white daisy in your meadows, thisiles in
YOUR corn fields. had 20, the foot rot into
YOUR sheep and the foo,-and-mouth disease
among your ca,ile' And still the damage
thus done. the evil thus wrought would be
vastly less than would have resulted in
awakening in you dormant passion for
gambling, snd we speak from the financial
side OF the question only.
We have seen, year after year, all the
various contrivances which at our fairs
meet the boy coming from the qniet and
innocence Of farm life. with the temp.a
ton of eking cut the scan;y contents OF his
purse BY some trial Of chance or skill
where, by an outlay Of little, much
would be gained, the rings to be bought
and ihrown-every one you can catch or
one of set Of pins will bring you five
times all you pay for the whole-ihe pins
TO be knocked over By halls and all the
thousand and one con;rivances TO catch
money, We have seen these and thelI
surroundings Of vice and debauchery. and
seen bows taking their first lessons in gam
bling and lucky were they if they gained ;
total loss of their investment. instead Of
being encouraged by small gain at n s..
liza boy has no P edisposition for gam
bling be msy receive no P siiive damage
bu; for others, the seeds thus sown viii
work 4 lifelong train Of evils
In the main. The gain in these games is
- the gambler. Nothing can BE- palmer,
t'r If it was losing game it would not
be followed and We should not have the
ring men and wheel-of-fortune men ST
fairs. or the rafie and grab-bsg 4, church
fairs.
Mr.Eli S,illson. the superintendent OF the
Wisconsin State Agricultural Society has
written An article on this matter which we
have taken from the Pare Farmer and
10 !, we ask the attention of those who
h we An idea they ean make something oui
of gamblers, and TO those who care 10 pre-
serve our youth TO purify Of morals
and sound principles Of finance and eeono-
nv. whether they run county fair or
church sociable:
hiring the las, four wears, by unani-
mons , creenent Of the executive commit
t4e OF the State Agricultural society !
have excluded all gambling and games o.
chance from the state fair sronnGs. LEI
each vesr the number and prices ofere'
for the use Of the fair grounds show that
these vampires mus; DC meeting with sue
Somewhere. l have thus early before
me. rs SUPERINTENDENT Of stale fair grounds.
several letters and circulars, ASKING 10 rem
for their belish purposes One offers sou
and gives s lis, of fairs where he claims b.
prsciiced his denominations last yeAr, and
smopg them are the siste fair st Dayton.
Ohio. and state fair al Cedar Rapids, lows
and five district and county ialTs IN In
pois. BIZ, the circular does n". say oue
word ahou, how the good sense and mnrSl
indignation OF the people at one OF ihos-
Illinois district fairs we're 50 aroused Thai
all the differs of the fAif were indicted and
hesvily fined. inst as they should always
De, and likely will De in the future. Anoih-
er circular and letter wan's 10 tAke the
Stale Agricultural Society in rs partner
in lis cut thrua, depIavity, and claims thAi
it usually clears from Sl2oQ to 5000, AMI
one halfo this, the blood money Of The
gambler, ii will psy 10 The agricultural
society. In behalf OF humanity, in behalf
of western farmers, let me appeal to such
fair managers to exclude all gambling
from their fair grounds. and on failure 10
DO so, may there be farmers or other pet
sons enough VITO hsve the moral courage
20 follow the bic example set By Illinois.
and present them to the courts for licensing
or SLOWING gambling. Another parry
offers $500 for exclusive rights. 1t Is s
slain, fraud, a libel on agriculture. and
let ii be wiped out.
How is it, Mr.. Superintendent, shall yon
admit the gamblers TO the grounds under
vour control, this fall
The POTATo BCG."-In some 10