The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-10-08
Bear In Mind the "
has borne and Lend your Aid
Accordingly.

In estimating the extent aud success OF
the Exposition, bear in mind a few facts
First-It started hastily, and very large
IL upon a basis Of wind, or talk and
hope. The silly Blowing over the
Boston affair had ibhated the popular
mind with the idea that the Universal
! Yankee Nation''was about TO come rolling
tumbIin9, hop skip andjumping into our
State to settle our waste place, aud
to waste their own settled places. Certain
! fellows abused the FaTnle, and UechdRic
for telling the truth about the business
We are now ready to admit. however, that
the Boston Blowout proved to be money
well spent, because it gave birth to the
present Exposition, which never would
have started but for the wind" 10 Its
sails that came pulling down from Bos-
ton.
Second Our Exposition started at the
worst possible time financially, agricultu-
rally. and politically. Our home people
are 10 great straits for money, aud the
| Northern people are kept at home By the
excitement Of Presidential year. Ii is
safe TO say that ), ZOO Northerners will 20
to New Orleans in December, who would
come by Raleigh if the Exposition were
open after the election.
THtrd-It started under the burden of
a cumbersome organization. A long list
of vice residents, Directors, etc, were
named and we venture to say that halt OF
them have never attended a meeting, nor
perhaps paid a dollar toward the enter
prise. The fact that only half The coun.
ties in the State made exhibits tells S
own tale. Several months were lost in
trying to ascertain how much money the
company could depend upon 1t was
O found that less than $50 600 worth
of stock would lie taken, aud that very
little Of even that sun cOu Il be col
lectcd in cash. Scores of wealthy men
gave Totes and acceptances which Of
course were not 50 useful as hard cash"
Then came the Bank crisis. and the shut
ting down of the Raleigh Bauks upon
all advances. Very few people kuow how
nearly the Exposition ship ran to ii e
ground at that junctuIe. Bu PIesldei I
Primrose fortunately held the confidence
of The public In rare degree, ana was for
tunate also in his relations with tn, Pres
ident Of the Raleigh Car Company. That
company agreed to put UP the buildings,
aud shoulder the SG 0UJ expense until
collections could be made. Had the work
been done piece meal 1t would be untiu
ished to day, and probably some small
debt would have locked up the who'e
aft iir In Court. The Car Company rush
ed up the build ngs like magic, aud then
the public began to feel au interest in the
undertaking As a matter Of course,
the action of the Agricultural Board
and the influence Of the State Govern
ment helped TO steady the enter
prise; the Raleigh 4 CASTOR and Rich
mond and Danvi.lc Il Il. also helped It
with 81, 900 each. the Press loaned its
columns to the extent of fully $1,000 worth
of free advertising, the Farmer and
Mechanic has already given fifteen to
twenty columns to the Exposition since it
Was first mooted; tie regular price OF
advertising being 81 percolumn and OF
course as the opening day approached the
company began to take In some money
from exhibitors. sale Cf privileges. etc.
How far these will go towards liqu!dating
the debts of the company we cannot tell
but it is surmised that the receipts will
not exceed the workirg expenses to any
great extent and there is likely TO be a
loss to the stock holders. Ifso, we should
favor an act of Legislature TO reimburse
them Tor all such loss. on the ground that
the benefits flowing from the exhibit are
not private but public, and are >haled b,
the entire State.