San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-02-08
The Dai1u Eight.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY S, 1890.
SAN ANTONIO FAIR; MOI.
The Time Has Come 70 Decide for
this Year-No More AbortIons
Wanted but a Good Fair-lt

THIS Gear-NO MORE ADOrIlCnS
Wanted but Good Fair-lt
viii Take Eight Months
to Get 1t Up.
Dallas is already in the field max
ing preparations for her next fair, to
be held this coming October. VIII
San Antonio hold fair or not? This
question is revived by the return of
! the president of the San Antonio In
ternational fair and exposition, after
some months absence. tits a question
that must be answered within The
next thirty days, if answered af1irma-
| lively. San Antonio has mad two
fairs; both successful so Tar as bring
| ing trade to our city is concerned,
neither of them very credi-
table so far as an eXposi-
| ton of our resources is concerned and
the last one n miserable abortion, the
merest apology for fair. No one
knows this any better than the fair
association and every one who knows
anything about the facts must
know that the fair association
was not responsible. 1t is
simply matter OF record that after
vainly endeavoring for six months
to secure some assurance of transport
tatiOn facilities the fair directory met,
some two months before the fair date.
and formally abandoned the idea of
holding a fair. A citizens meeting
was held, demonstrating against that
course, and the directors of the tair
association and its president empha-
sized their unwillingness to attempt
TO hold any fair, as the time was too
short to make a beginning in, much
less a successful preparation. 1t was
only when the officers of the associa-
ton were charged with betraying the
interests of the city by not holding a
t4ir, that a reluctant consent was Civ
en-, but at no time did they express
any confidence in being able 10 make
credita HE exhibition in the time al
lotted. That the fair was a failure
every one knows. True, il was not so
advertised at home, for that was not
natural, but it was cOnfessedly a fail
ure, and was so spoken of at the time
among its managers and best frienCs.
Naturally, the fair management
were held responsible for that abor-
ton of an exhibit, but in common
justice they are not to be so held
The responsibility lies, first, with the
city which refused them right of way
for rapid transit, and, second, with
those who forced an exhibit at 50
late a day that it was impossible to
advertise the fair and collect the ma
terlals. Instead of six weeks in
which to collect the exhibits and ad
necessary and twelve would be better.
The work necessary to holding a sue
cessful fair can not be sooner accom-
plished, and it will not again be at
tempted.
Put a pin right there; it will not be
again attempted. The LIGHT knows
whereof it aflirms in making
this statement. the fair association
have had enough of such exhibits
as were held last November, and
unless they can know within a few
days what San Antonio wants and
what San Antonio intends to do there
will be no fair so far as they are con-
erned. The LIGHT is positively as
]ured that they will not again invite
the public to journey to this city and
spend their money here without they
nave something worthy the name OF
and fair to present fol
tile IT Inspection.
I here are no doubt. many who hon |
estIy doubt the necessity of SO much |
time in preparing for Il successful fair |
but these persons have not cOnSid |
cred the work to be accomplished. |
II a fair is held this fall, for instance,
The management will offer $1,000 for |
the best county exhibit. No county |
can afford TO enter the lists for less, il
MAXIM n first-Class exhibit Of its re-
sources, and the actual cost, counting
time and labor, would be vastly more
Every county in southwest Texas
would have to be visited nv
the fair agents in the interest
Of 81 N an exhibit, and then
leave he counties time to make their
Really valuable prizes
for farm products in bulk, from half
dozen to a score of bushels etch, the
successful competitors exhibit to re-
main the property of the association
for distribution, should be offered, so
that a real exhibit of the hest pro-
ducts of farm, aud dairy, and vine
yard, and market garden and orchard
might be collected. 1t is for this pur-
pose that fair is held, to advertise
our products and resources to the
world. Such an abortion as that of
last fall only advertises the barren
ness of our resources, the lack of farm
products. The catalogue must be
made up and the agents OF the fair
association must make their rounds
months before the fair is to be held,
10 stimulate farmers, hOrticulturIsts,
gardeners and others to enter the lists
tn nto