Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-12-07
As a Practical Matter.

1t is pretty poor compliment that the
agricultural editor of the Green Mountain
Freeman pays the Vermont State Agricul-
tural Society, when he says: at is some
thing to say for the managers that they
have made $4,000 and have neither stolen
it themselves, nor let any one else." We do
not believe that the fifteen or twenty gentle
men referred to care to receive such faint
praise as that. Why should they steal their
own money As to others stealing it, the
only danger of that which has ever seemed
very threatening has been from the raids of
the horse-gamblers whom they have them
selves coddled and encouraged, as the most
attractive and elevating part of their "great
moral show
The trouble is not with the honesty or
the carefulness of the managers" who are
really all there is of the society. The trouble
with them is that they are "old fogies,"
who have been running for years in time
dishonored track, and seem to have neither
the pluck nor the enterprise to adapt them
selves to the increasing moral sense of the
public, or to the changing wants and de-
mands of the farming community. The
starting up of just such another organiza-
ton at Burlington is not going to help mat
ters any. The only sign of real vitality, or
of sense of what is really wanted, that the
society has shown since we knew anything
about it, was the little extra encouragement
given to the fruit-growers of the state at the
last fair, aud that was the work of one man,
Judge Miller. He was allowed but little
money to work with, but by correspondence
and disposition to give all parts Of the
state fair show, he got out one of the best
displays of fruit ever seen in New England
outside of the exhibitions of the Massach u
sets Horticultural Societys rooms. And
even that was botched by the stupid and
parsimonious committee system, which has
long been bye-word of contempt among ex-
hibitors, and is largely responsible for the
decline of the show in nearly all its depart
ments. To invite contributions to such ex-
hibitions by the offering of premiums upon
the best exhibits, and then to eutrust the
awarding of such premiums to Judges -
who are not judges, or who are biased by
locality and interest, is the way to kill the
whole thing at the first shot. The judges
at state fair should always be experts and
always be brought from without the state
This is the only way to get awards in which
any one can have confidence. Ignorant 10.
cal feeling, personal acquaintance, prejudice,
and often motives even less creditable, are
sure to be at work in any committee consti-
tuted as all COMMITTEES are constituted at
our New England fairs. Good judges are
secured in Canada by merely paying the
expenses of men Of knowledge in each de
partment from without the province, aud
the awards are almost always satisfac-
tory, the same men being often engaged
year after year.
A stolid indifference to the moral senti
ment of the largest and most respectable
part of the people is continually shown by
the management of the Vermont state fair
AS regards the morally Objectionable ele
ments of the show, there has hardly been {
pretense, from the first, Of regarding thu
wishes of the respectable public in this
matter. The consequence is that the mora
atmosphere of all the exhibitions is bad
and grows worse. The only answer to thi
complaint is that the fair cannot be mad
to pay except by being made low and de
moralizing. If this were true, the onl,
answer would be Let it die, them" Blu
we deny the truth of it. The experiment
has never been fairly tried in this state
but Vermont is as good as New York, an,
state fairs without the demoraliziug ele
ments of ours have been for years a stead
success in New York. The whole thin
centers on the horse-gambling. Expe
that, and the minor gambling and liquo
drinking goes with it. But the truth
that some of the wealthiest and most Unfit
ential of the managers are themselves intel
ested in this horse-gambling business, an
they don't care cent for the fair except a
it yields facilities for the business in whic
they delight. They are in the society 70
Just that purpose Men OF that staml
however socially respectable are rarel
temperance men. They sneer at all VIII
are; and 1t Is their influence that lets In al
The most objectionable features which dil
gust the decent puphc al the iairs' AND u
same lax morality Is manly at the bottol
| az
oil the unfair ana corrupt committee ]udl
ments which so disgust ana exasperate no