The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1889-09-14
Second District Fair.
THE DALLEs, Or, Sept. IL. les!

al THE DALLEs, Or, Sept. l2. 1889.
Editor TINES -MoUSTAINEER:
In the last issue of the Wasco Count
Sun, at the request of some of the busines
men of this city, called attention to tn
next Agricultural Fair to be held in thi
city September a. and urged upon th
; farmers and business men of this agricul
4 tural district the importance of making
this fair represent correctly the resource:
: and capabilities of this portion of the
state. Will you give me space in the col
n umns of your valuable paper 10 again re
mind the people of this portion of Tie
state of the necessity of their interesting
themselves in this exhibition?
Mr.. James A. Varney, who is the presi.
$ dent of the commissioners named by the
r Legislature to manage and control this
fair, has used every effort to insure sue
cessful and general exhibition of our pro-
ducts. In his efforts he has not met with
universal encouragement. He has met
, with many criticisms upon the former en-
hibitions held here and because these for
mer exhibitions have not been all that
some seem to think they should have been.
some of the producers of this portion of
the state withhold their assistance at this
time.
1t should be understood that the COM
ing exhibition is properly state fair, al
though it is not expected that the entire
state will be repres ented; it is under the
management of state commissioners and
the state makes an appropriation for the
purpose of paying premiums; this will be
the first exhibition under the new man.
agement, and if former exhibitions have
not been all that they should be this is no
reason why every farmer of Eastern Ore
gon this side of the Blue Mountains
should not feel that Ire is personally in
terested in this exhibition. Whatever
reason there may have been for criticiz-
ing the exhibitions of the Wasco Fair
Association the fault lay not with the
managers but with the farmers of this
section of the state who declined to make
exhibits because they felt that thereby they
would he put to little trouble and ex-
| pense, or because they thought whatever
they had TO exhibit was not worthy of the
| trouble and would not be needed to make
Il full showing of our resources. We be-
lieve that every farmer in this district
should be, and if he consider the matter
carefully will be, interested In making the
coming fair the best exhibition ever held
in Eastern Oregon. Ii is not so much
matter as whether each exhibition will
receive money premium as it is that
every portion of this district should show
to the people who will be in attendance at
this fair what we are capable of produc-
ing. 1t is not necessary that the marvel |
Gus alone should be shown; what is of |
more importance is true representation
of what our country can produce, and |
every farmer can show something which
is at least fair re presentation of the pro-
ducts of his locality. Permit me to sug
gest that every farmer in this portion of
the state take 1t upon himself 10 exhibit
something, no matter how insufficient or
unimportantit may seem TO him: let him
bring to this exhibition the best he has
produced this year. 1t is true that our
crops this year are not an average either
in quantity or quality, but this fact is fully
understood and, Notwithstanding it, a fair
exhibition of this years products will /
compare favorably aud even surpass the
best exhibitions of many ofthe other states.
The appropriation made by the state tor
The payment of premiums cannot be ap-
piled to any other use and this 1nsureS a
prompt and full payment of all premiums,
SO that there need be no fear upon this
point. The men who have in charge this
exhibition have not the means and should
not be expected to send agents 10 or them
selves visit the various localities in this
district; no doubt if they could do this
a very large and valuable exhibition could
be had; but the same exhibition can be
made Just as well if each farmer will take
the trouble to send in the best of his pro-
ducts.
There will be in attendance at this eX-
liibition large number Of strangers, many
of them from out of the state, and many of
them come for the express purpose OF
studying our resources and capabilities,
and will make report upon them to their
friends and neighDors. Ii we neglect this
exhibition our section of the state will
not be fairly represented and strangers
will receive erroneous information as to
our resources. There is no better method
of advertising both the products Of the in
dividual and the wealth of our agricultu-
raj lands than through this exhibition,
and it is matter of Individual interest to
every farmer to correctly represent the
value of his land.
1t has frequently been said of other
fairs in the state that they amount simply
to a horse race. The exhibition of last
horses has its proper place in every agri-
cultural fair and no doubtin this one there
will be as fine speed program as has ever
been known in Eastern Oregon; but the
farmers of this district can bring to this
fair that which is of greater importance, ii
they are disposed to do so. Without their
cooperation and support the managers
cannot make it Il success and the fair Will
be simply horse race or an entire fail :
ure; in either event its real object will
fail. Every farmer who reads this paper
should feel that upon him rests some of
the responsibility of making this fair q
true advertisement of this portion Of our
state.
While it is of the greatest, importance
that the managers should have the cooper
alton of tie farmers, the business men of
this and other cities in the district should
feel that with them lies portion of the
OF making this exhibition a s
success. While an exhibit IN by the mer
chants necessitates no little expense and
trouble nevertheless advertisement would
repay them. This exhibition
eught TO be 10 a certain degree II mechan-
les fair as well as an agricultural fair and !
every merchant ought to have an exhibit {
upon the grounds. Particular attention
should be given to this by the merchants
of this city, it seems to US, tor not only are l
they benefited by such an advertisement
but the citv is more especially
benefited by the success of the exhibition.
We believe that it is only necessary TO i
call the attention of the farmers and the
business men to these facts in order that ,
they will give whatever assistance they .
can to the managers. Let all unite to
make this the most successful fair ever
held in Eastern Oregon and the beginning
of exhibitions which will surpass any +,
thing in the state or even on the coast.
Sec. BOARD OF TRADE.
Charity Regime lE0nP.