Smyrna times., 1889-10-23
For the Smyrna Times.
The EIkton and the Dover Fairs.


WILLOW GROVE, DEL, Oct. 20, 80.
Mr.. EDITOR:
Dear Sir:-I find in reading your
paper (which by the way like very
much) that you make honorable men
ton of the Elkton fair whose managers
allow pool selling, wheel of fortune,
&C., on the grounds, and dishonorable
mention of the Delaware State Fair
that does not sell pools at races. Please
explain lUhdt diIs yOU. l enclose you
subscription for the TIMES and request
you to give US fair play. If you cross
one, serve the other likewise. | should
think Smyrna and vicinity would be
interested in the growth and prosperity
of the Delaware State Fair as it is a
State institution, controlled by the
State Board of Agriculture and has
done a great amount of good in the
way of improving stock and cereals in
the State. Yours,
J. COLBY SMITH.
The above letter, which comes to us
in a business way, treats of public
matter that admits of controversy and
hence we put it in print so we can
properly explain, and we think to our
friends satisfaction that we in no man
neT attempted to discriminate against
the State Fair. The item alluded to
above was simply news item of the
current happenings of the week taken
from an exchange and placed in the
matters that pertain to Maryland. We
were not there, did not see the gamb-
ling pools above referred to sold, and as
the article from which this was con-
densed said nothing about it but Only
of the attendance, and the attractions
to entertain the people, we naturally
had nothing to say of what we knew
nothing about. We may remark en-
PEASANT however, that we have since
! heard a person who was there speak of
this particular feature of the Elkton
Fair in terms Of the strongest denun-
ciatlon, and as one that would even
tually work its ruin.
So much for the Elkton Fair. We
wrote of the Dover Fair of what we
saw and heard, and wrote of it edi-
torially as we felt to DE our duty as a
journalist in the best interest of the
people. In fact men came to Us on the
ground with words of .denuuciation
and prompted us to speak of the gam
blers who were seemingly licensed to
tempt the weak and unwary in games
where the almost inevitable conse
| quence would be to lose their money.
The personal editorial complaint was
that as publishers we had been out
rageOusly hoodwinked in announcing
to the people on authority that
| games of chance would be excluded
| from the grounds and then for them to
be ttere in larger numbers and more
etfrontery than ever before. What
connection is there between gamblers
and big pumpkins, fat cattle or ladies
! handiwOrk, with needle or pencil ?
None certainly, and from that time to
thls (except our correspondent and we
doubt if he dOes) we have not heard a
single person who visited the Fair
approve, and many with strong voices
condemn their presence there.
Our correspondent expresses a doubt
OF the people of Smyrna being interest
ed in the Fair. The attendance from
here would not justify this conclusion
as would be apparent to any one famil-
lar with the people of this part of the
county. As far as the TIMES is con.
eerned it has never had as much to saw
beforehand to awaken a public interest
in any Fair as the last one, and it
commended or had 40 criticism to
offer for anything there but the gam
blers, and they had no more business
there legitimately than leech has on a
horse. Farmers must be stimulated
by coming in contact with each other
with their products and the mental
perceptions of the young quickened by
the social intercourse of the occasion.
and with an eye to its perpetuity and
popularizatiOn, the management should
do as their better instincts at the first
prompted-keep all harmful influences
out of the enclosure.