The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-09-14

1t is now but little over one month
before the eighth annual exhibition
of the Capital State Fair association
begins. In 1875 the association be-
gan its work. There was bought
and improved at that time one of
the most valuable pieces of real
estate in the neighborhood of
Austin, the most substantial i'm
provements for the purposes in
view being at once placed thereon,
and with each succeeding year these
improvements have been added to
until the appliances for iair and ex-
hibitiOh purposes are second to
none south of st. Louis and Louis
vile. With time and proper public
appreciation this annual fair at
Austin must become second to
no other of its character
in the United States. Certainly
Texas can grow as fine
agricultural products as any state OF
the Union; she is destined TO be the
greatest of live stock producers, and
her trees and herbs and flowers are
second in value and beauty to those
of no country. Texas is raising as
superb horses as Kentucky the
loDg-horn is becoming thing of the
past, and on our prairies and rich
pastures roam the finest Short-horns
and Herefords and Jerseys. No
longer are our poultry fanciers COM
PEELED to repair to distant states to
procure standard birds, and
were there a comprehensive poultry
show at Austin it could not
be excelled. AS TO agricultural ex-
hibits here, they need simply the
proper approval of agriculturists
to make them wonderfully attactive.
Mechanics and the arts have their
accomplished votaries in Texas, as
well as elsewhere, and when once the
feeling of competition is fully arous-
ed, halls devoted to industry and art
will be as attractively filled at
Austin as at st Louis or Cincin-
natl. AS TO domestic products, cxhi-
billions embracing them here ought
to be eminently satisfactory. We
have most accomplished masters and
mistresses of the household, and
what they could exhibit would
stand the test of display in any
country. The aviary and the apiary in
Texas have more of the elements of
splendid success in them than in the
colder regions, and their products
should occupy large and most at
tractive space in our exhibition
buildings. We have accomplished
mechanics and artizans, and were
they imbued with the fact that to
show is to make names and achieve
success, they would now be clamor-
ing for space. 1t is usual at all such
exhibitions for the merchants and
traders of the community in which
they are held to take
lively interest in them. Here,
TO their discredit, the reverse
has been the rule, and thus an
important element, encouraging to
all others who might exhibit, has
failed to give popular sanction TO an
undertaking working alone for the
advantage of Austin, and hence
most directly beneficial to the mer-
chants and traders Of this communi-
ty. These gentlemen have the means
and the taste to make exhibits, but
they have heretofore responded
lukewarmly, and it may be that the
association and not the gentlemen
are ut fault. II this be true the bar
riers separating the two should be
torn down, for the coming exhibit
ton should illustrate fully the re-
sources and taste of Austin's mer-
chants and tradesmen. Thus 1t
is seen all the elements re-
quired to produce first-class ex-
hibitions at Austin are at hand. Let
them unite this fall to make the Capt.
tai State Fair creditable to Austin
and to Texas, and to the entire
south. Let us have a grand agricul-
tural, industrial, art and superior
live stock show, that will make peo-
pie repair to Austin, as they go to
st. Louis, annually, to see all that is
worthy to be seen in all the differ
ent branches of labor and of science
and art.
GEN. WoLsELEY's promise that he