Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-05-30
IhRMS:-S2,W PER YEAR IN ADVANCE.
County omcers,
Is Horse-Racing Necessary at Fairs?

Is Eorse-Racing Necessary at Fairs?
AT a large majority Of the thousands
OF agricultural exhibitions held in the
past year. the speed track-really, the
race track-has been q prominent feat
ure. Among the premiums awarded,
the largest in amounts have been given
to trotting and running horses. Form
ely, these trials of speed were merely
an lncident-a '%tail-piece" to the gen
eral exhibit of agricultural and horti-
cultural products, implements and
modes of culture, and Of generally use
full and domestic animals. Latterlv,
the tail seems to wag the whole body.
Comparatively few of the public-spir-
tied men who get up and manage the
fairs, FUZZY approve Of this feature; but
a large number deem it a necessary
evil. The Committee on ways and
Means" reason that while the body of
staid farmers will come for the sake of
the real object of such fairs, the trials
of speed" attract a large floating popu-
lation from towns and cities who care
not a fig for agriculture, but whose adj
mission fees supply the sinews Of war.
1t is already time to begin plans for
this years exhibition, and While past
experiences and observations are fresh
in mind, the race-track should be well
considered. Shall it be the leading feat
ure, or only an incidental, or shall it be
left out? AS heretofore, the financial
feature will largely govern, especially
with men who reckon the value Of an
exhibition according to its magnitude,
rather than by educating, social and
moral results. That the fairs in many
parts OF the country L deteriorating,
is certain. Not a few. of our best farm
ers are questioning whether fairs are,
on the whole, useful. There is certain
ly a large class in most communities
who are Disguised with the growingin-
tiuence of the race-tracks, and are I'M
willing to bring their families under
their influence. If all Of this class are
alienated, will not our fairs soon be-
come little more than an annual race
course.
There are several examples that may
well be considered. The Agricultural
Society Of the Empire State has steadi-
ly and persistently turned it's face
against the introduction of this feature,
and no other society has more prosper
ly gone forward with grand a%gricultur-
al exhibitions every year-never in
financial straits, but always making a
large, useful, instructive, genuine, agri-
cultural show. As another Illustration.
take the Orange County IN. " Agri-
cultural Society, one Of the largest and
most prosperous. Not long ago the
race-track. threatened to get the su-
premacy, and speed premiums were
abolished. Many predicted decline and
failure. The results in 1882 and 1883
show the contrary. There Were in the
horse department two hundred and
thirty-one entries in 1882, and two hun
dred and seventy-seven in 1883, num-
bering with colts three hundred and
t%hirty-nine animals, including twenty
six stations, forty-eight teams, one
hundred and forty-iye single horses,
etc. Instead Of the race, all the exhib-
tied animals were marshalled in grand
caValcade each afternoon and, preceded
by a stirring band of music, marchedin
in classes, folloWjngteach other, two OF
three times around the track that encir-
cled the chic: buildings, and in view of
all present. The quiet, earnest atten-
ton and study we saw in the faces Of
ten to fifteen thousand lookers-on were,
we are sure, indications Of far more
practical information carried home,
than could have been derived from see
ing a few heet-footed animals dashing
past at their utmost speed under the
lash Of professional jockeys. Racing
is not necessary.-Amerlcan Agricul-
turist.
Huron Times-A dispatch from
Washington is to the following effect:
General Hancock is receiving little at
tention from democratic politicians,
but some quiet work is being done in
his interest which may bring him once
more before the country, His friends
are circulating q document which gives
the number Of votes Hancock received
in 1880 in comparison with Tilden's
vote in 1875 in the northern states.
The circular concludes: sit is thedem-
ocratic vote in the northern states that
will elect the democratic candidate or
defeat him, and hence the vital inpor-
tance of nominating the man who is
strongest in these states and tina MAI
is Hancock"