Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-09-26
Shenandoah Valley AgricuI-
tural Society.
WINCHESTER, Va, Sept. 10, 'S4.
The Herald Pub. Go.
Woodstock. Va.

WINCHESTER, Va, Sept. 10, 'S4.
The Herald Pub. Co.
Woodstock, Va.
Gentlemen-As President of the
Shenandoah Valley Agricultural
Society, and by direction of its
Board, l desire to call your atten-
ton to the injustice done this Cor
pOration in recent issues of the
Shenandoah Herald, and notably
that of this date. The Society is
in good financial standing, paying
its premiums and other debts
promptly. Our exhibitions are i'm
, proving every year, and are univer-
sally considered to be creditable to
the Valley of Virginia, and to the
exhibitors and members individu-
ally. Its managing Board is COM
posed of farmers and business men
from the Valley counties of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia, including
Shenandoah. 1t comprises men of
every shade of political opinion,
working together in harmony for
the agricultural interests of the
country. This being the case, we
can imagine no reason why the
HERALD should attack and de.
nounce it as fraud, thereby ma
terially injuring its usefulness as
well as its business prospects. We
ihope that having thus clearly stated
our position, you will render us
simple justice by retracting these
statements through your columns.
Very Respectfully
II. l.. ID. LEWIS,
President Shen. Val. Agrl. Socy.
We publish the letter of Presi- |
dent Lewis in full as the best way |
of doing justice to the society.
We must add, however, that our
articles have never questioned the
financial standing Of the society, or
the integrity of its officers or direc-
tors. Neither have we spoken Of
the political opinions of any Of
them. We know that men whose
politics and ours are in full accord |
are among its directors, and we
note personal and political friends |
from this county among them. We
may also state that we are really |
glad the society is improving
Nothing that has appeared in this
paper goes to any of the matters
referred to by President Lewis.
What we mean is, that as an agri- |
cultural exhibition it is not worth |
what it costs people from this coun-
ty and above to 60 after it. AS a
fair it has been a failure in our
humble judgment. In none of its
departments has it measured up to
the standard of an agricultural fair
where people 60 to see the best
horses, the best cattle, the best |
sheep and swine-the best improv-
ed stock and machinery of all |
kinds. And inasmuch as it costs |
Shenandoah people more than a
thousand dollars every year to go
there, we deem it our duty, certain
ly our privilege, to admonish them,
and advise them, too, to make
arrangements for a fair near home !
We are more central. We are
further from the fairs just North of
Winchester, and, as we before said,
we believe Shenandoah supplies
about one half the stock exhibition
at Winchester.
In speaking Of the fair as a
"fraud," we meant no reflection on
any one connected with it. They |
may do all they can, and the ex-
hibitiOn be the same. We meant |
to employ the word, (Which was
not happily chosen) in the sense
that our people go there each year
to see the same old show, when
they expect something new and
attractive, worth their money and
their time.
A year ago enough money was
subscribed here to start off with
very good grounds. The enterprise
fell through for the time because
of disagreement as to place. The
enterprise is now under full head |
again and we hope to see the work
begun during winter or early |
spring. In the mean time we shall
let the Winchester fair alone-only |
appealing to Shenandoah people
to stay at home and build up an
enterprise in their own midst that
they may receive little instead of
paying out all. Other reasons
given in our first article on this /
subject obtain with us, as they do
and will with hundreds of others.
WHEN a man tells you how much