Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-08-14
The Industrial Fairs.

III farmers and mechanics feel q
lively interest in the advancement of
their callings, nature has done its
share this year towards enabling
them to indicate their feelings at the
several public exhibitions and trials
to come off in this county next month.
The season was favorable to the
growth of all that is produced in this
vicinity, and the weather has been as
favorable for harvesting as Christian
could reasonably have asked for in
his prayers. The fairs are intended
for the farmer aud the mechanic-:o
improve agriculture, horticulture and
mechanic and household arts. 1.-THE
classes of people for whom they are
intended neglect them, either by abb
sence or by neglecting to submit
their products, they will naturally
run down to amusements suited only
to the tastes of loafers and gamblers.
Industry will not thrive if left to the
care of idlers. The fsirs will benefit
the classes for whom intended, if
properly cared tor by them. The
County Society this year left off
horse.racing with the view, in part,
of putting out of the way what may
overslaugh matters of more value to
the industries. If workers and pro-
ducers imprudently let their interests
60 by default, the failure will rest
with themselves. Good agricultural
exhibitions suggest to the farmers
methods of improvement. Every
farmer who takes a good or extra
article to the fair suggests to the
hundreds of others who see it some
thing by which the next year each
one of them thinks he will make i'm
provement, and the majority will do
so. Everyone who sees good thing
resolves in his mind he will beat that
next year. This is true of field
products as well as fruits, machinery,
household articles or fine arts. The
fairs have done much towards the
more general use of the best wagons
and the best carriages. The most
useful plows, cultivators, reapers,
seeders, DC, often find their way to
the farmer by introduction at the
fair. The ladies find there incentives
to regulate and adorn their home
apartments. But much Of all this is
lost IT those who 60 to the fairs say
to themselves, 81 go to see what
others are doing; | don't care about
taking my traps there" People lose
great deal through selfishness.
Such expressions as, swell, | have
a two-year-ol at home that would
beat that; | wish l had brought it
and would have had that premium"
"Pshaw my tidy would beat that
out of sight; wish had brought
it." "Whew! is that yer biggest
squash I've got one twice as big
and it isn't done growing yet"
That's a pretty nice showcase bat
we can see nicer display at Mr..
So-and.so's store every day"
"Tbat's very nice wheat-as nice as
| ever saw at the Fair-but | believe
| could beat it" "I'd have brought
over my mare and colt know they
would have taken the premium--but
it's rather far to bring them for only
$500" (Note that at the county
fair this year these premiums are
raised to $4,000 These and sim
liar remarks are heard all day. IF
they were only all put into practical
use our fairs would have perhaps ten
fold the interest they have to the
people they are intended to benefit.
Fair time at Bloomington, at Lam
caster and at Boscobel is approach
ing; how many will be urged to &C.
ton by the hints here thrown out?