West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-08-15

his 6dTIlcSLDeSS, GUG Vices Vi uTuuk-
enness and gaming and profanity.
1t is not worth while to mince
words. These debasing methods of
these modern 'fairs" are an insult
TO the farming community, in this
land Of newspapers, of secular and
religious intelligence, of an open
Bible. Better have inferior stock
than to improve its blood by de-
basing that of the people. Better
go back to the scythe and fails
than advance machinery at the
expense of the morals of the youth.
[ have no willingness 10 reflect
personally on the stockholders of
these associations throughout the
land. Many of them are men of
high public spirit, of genuine vir-
tue and uprightness in private life.
[ must, however, challenge that
forgetfulness Of duty to God and
society, which permits the use of
their means and influence to adj
vance methods which are in viola
ton of right, and which upset
moral foundations. Alas! that, eli
their with hope of increasing
wealth, or fattered as public-spirit-
ed gentlemen, honorable men, in
every community, who would no
more engage as individuals in some
of the methods of the modern agri-
cultural fairs, than they would en-
gage in spreading yellow fever,
will lend their names and their
money to corporations, whose
methods foster vice and break down
both credit and morality! Infu-
ence and means! These are great
treasures committed to them for
high and noble use. He who
loaned them once uttered words
which ought to ring through their
souls, ~ UiU come and reckon !" Bet
ter hear It'll Gods knife of moral
surgery will 60 to the root Of the
cancer when the time comes.
What wonder that these social
ed Agricultural Associations fail ?
American farmers read ard think !!
Their comments are not compli-
mentary to these fairs.
1t is proposed to organize here
new Association! Ye men of Ber-
kelly, put it on a sound moral basis !!
Then keep moral faith with the
people! Perhaps the financial
"pan-out" will be more CHEEKY. At
least the moral sense will not be
outraged under the false cries of
"public spirit" and ''The advance.
ment Of agriculture and the arts"
Society to-day wants in its more
public affairs men with moral con-
victions and courage to stand by
them !! There is latent moral edu-
cation enough, but this wants
leadership. Both in this fair
business and in regard to its other
corporations, it wants men like the
late princeiy VIM. E. Dodge, who
loved righteousness more than
money, and who parted with valu-
able railroad interests when his
associates insisted on robbing their
employees of their right to a day of
holy rest. 1t wants men like the
President of the Louisville, New
Albany and Chicago Railway,
whose voice is yet ringing like
Gods bugle through the land:
"You will run no excursion trains
of any kind on the Sabbath. No
employee who has religious con-
victions, shall be required to do
any service on the Sabbath. So
far as possible, let no trains be
run, or work done on the Sabbath"
1t wants men like some of the
directors OF our own Potomac Isle
Excursion Company, who when
asked, lately, to run an excursion
for-I am sorry to say it-a "bush
meeting" to be held on their Isle,
on the Sabbath, nobly replied, eve
will not"
All honor to such men! May
God multiply them thousand
foldW