The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-12-14
THE LATE STATE FAIR

the Press.
COLUMBIA, November 9th, 1883.
MIR. EDIToR During the late Fair aud
since its close you have, with ga kindly
spirit. lointed cut errors aud made sugccs,.
tious for The improvements of the future
all OF which | can asure you has been taken.
as you iuteuded it should be, lin good part"
AS the sub-c committee Of the Executive
Committee left the almost cutire mauage-
ment of the Fair to the Secretary and
myself, aud whilst the Secretary sL perinten.
ded all the clerical and office work, had
charge OF the general management aud au,
therefore, fear, more responsible for Just
complaints than any one else. In the first
ragraph OF your editorial of, the Goth
instant your point is well taken, that our
tair is Il State Fair; we are spending
the peoples money, and every citizen
has right to criticse and object to
evils when he sees them. l hone
to see the day when every citizen, no lat.
ter how high or low, bu, who will .cel
persono, interest in our Fair aud materially
AID the society in making it an exponent of
the progress aud civilization of our day and
generation.
Although the complaints made may be
just and reasonable, there is always two
sides, and as you have put some of them in
such light as real J to require an answer
l have thought it might be well to give you
the following facts. which you can use as
you see fit:
very just complaint is made "of the re-
moval Of exhibits before the close of the
Fair | did not intend that anything should
be moved until late Friday afternoon, but on
| Thursday | received notice from the freight
management of the Columbia and Grccnvillc
Railroad and its connections that all return
freight OF stock that was to go by these
lines up the country must be ut the depot
5y two O'Clock Friday or they could not
90 until Saturday, when they would have to
lay over on the road on Sunday, which YOU
will see would have caused much expense
and Inconvenience to these exhibitors. who.
AS soon as they were acquainted with tho
facts, asked'to be allowed to move their
stock, which consented to, still thinking
that this would not be notice for Il zen,
cral stampede Of exhibitors; but | soon saw
1t was vain hope, for every one seemed
possessed with the idea that he was going to
be left, aud in few hours the Fair of 1888
was among the things of the past. This
will be Il matter for stringent rules in
future.
The complaiut about premiums touches
the nIost vex I'd question OF the Fair. The
way that exhibitors getting a large number
OF premiums were permitted 20 swap around
sJust this When one exhibitor, who had
two two>doliar and one one-dolar premium,
he or she were allowed to exchange it for one
tive.dollar premium or, when one exhibi-
tor had five two dollar premiums, they were
allowed to exchange it for one ten dollar
premium.
Now, Mr. Editor, this is said Sin no cap
tlous spirit" but you come around next
Fair, when these premiums are given out,
and when you strike those exhibitors, whose
cheek you SO vividly describe you will
surrender every time.
''lt is complained by the coustry press
OF the State in the matter of advertising" ="
Well, this is jmst matter of dollars and
cents. | ouly wish we had the means to
give paying advertisement to every paper
in the State. but with sixty odd papers in
the State au2 an advertisement Of say ten
dollars 10 each, and you see where it goes
20. L had at one time decided to select two
county papers in the low>country two in
the middle country, two in the Pee Dee
section, and two IN the up country, aao
send them an advertisement for the Fair.
but when came to think OF the selection of
what papers, saw was going to get int,
a hornets nest, and my courage failed me
l know the society appreciates the kindness
OF these gentlemen, and when they attend
the Fair try to show thCH every courtesy
possible, and am only sorry that my time
is at times Sc occupied that | cannot do
more in this war. New ,rtheless, t NAV be
well to remember that this society is not "a
joint stock concern, and that there il only
one pail officer, the Secretary and Treasu-
rer The Executive Committee, Vices
Presidents and Superntendents doing their
part toward the Fair at their own expense
all hoping to be benefited both by the social
as well as the material advancement of
our every interest in one general common
cause.
There is one more complaint, and that is
as to gaming. The privilege of all games
was let to one party, who was here at the
Fair o. 1882 with queens 'are. and no OBJ
lection was found against him or the game
he had. The license badges you refer to
were his and used only by him in sublcttng
his privilege. | was badly deceived,
or rather taken in" if you will allow
the expression, by this party and if must
state the fac,. it was owing mostly to my
perfect ignorance of gambling games. /
can on y say now that my education from
this Fair is such that VIC will never be
troubled with such again during my man,
agcment Of the society.
In conclusion, allow me to say | note
what you remark as to your pleasant and
agreeable relations with the officers of