The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-10-02
FARM NOTES.
A DISCUSSION OF THE PROPERTY OF
ESTABLISHING AN AGRICUIi-
TURAL FAIR FOR
AUSTIN.
Electricity in Agricultural. VINO Can
Predict What Yet May be Done
With That Agency.

| Edgar, of Duval, Tex, to whom all COM
munications should be addressed
Some time ago ] pointed out the
advantages to city and it's adjacent
agricultural interests, of an annual
fair, and suggested that steps should
be taken to establish one in Austin.
A few days ago noticed Mr.. Warmers
opinion on the same subject, and am
glad to find he takes the same view as
myself. He speaks words of wisdom
when he tells the people that every
thing should be done to advance the
prosperity of the city.
Austin has for many years been
considered the metropolis of Texas
That sepulchral title is no longer ap-
plicable, as the dam vote proved the
city to be peopled by living and wide
awake citizens. The people had not
been dead, but merely in trance and
had they not awakened when they
did, they might have been buried
Having shaken off the somnolent in
huences, under which they so long
suffered, they must keep on the move,
lest relapse to the old state should
occur, when their latter condition
would be worse than the first.
1t won't do to sit down with folded
bands and wait the completion of the
dam and the building of factories,
which will inevitably result. The
resolution to dam the river
was big step in the direction of
progress, but it was only the first step,
and many more must be taken before
the coveted prosperity of the city
can be fully assured.
Nothing will tend more to advertise
Austin and her advantages than a
good annual fair. Wherever such
fairs have been successfully established
the citizens realize their Importance
and would on no account allow them
to lapse. Dallas furnishes home eX-
example. Anyone who has been In
that city during fair week need not be
told what that annual carnival has
done towards buildingit up. Hundreds
of thousands flock there every year
merely to see the show, for there is
nothing in or about the city to at
tract anyone, not on business. Dallas
is city without natural advantages
beyond being the center of a good
agricultural country.
Austin is not only the center OF a
rich country, but she has natural ad-
vantages not possessed by any other
city in the state, and by very few in
the South. Her very advantages have
been her ruin so far. Her people
seem to have thought these natural
advantages were enough to insure
prosperity, and were content to let
things glide along and wait for the
good time coming.
While Austin has been con
graduating herself on the
healthfulness of her climate
the abundance of pure water, the
grandeur of her surrounding country,
her beautiful and majestic buildings
and host of other attractions, other
cities without any of these recommen'
dations have been forging ahead In
the race for commercial supremacy.
Now, that Austin has entered on
the track, every effort must be made
to reach the goal.
A fair is something we can have anc
be sure of big return on the specu-
lation. 1t may be urged that the las
experiment in that line resulted il
failure. This may be admitted with
out affecting the a gument. Dalla
had fair once on time which rivallet
!, | Austin's on the score OF failure, ant
yet look at the present one.
Ten or twelve years ago, owing t.
want of railroad facilities, fairs had t
rely on strictly local patronage, an
t as the country was very sparsely set
r tied in was impossible to draw a pay
-, ing crowd. Besides, the art of man
agement was not understood then a
now.
J, There can be no doubt that an an
{ nual fair would prove an invaluabl
), aid in developing the ity, if esta'
lished on broad and substantii
foundation.
g Such has been the result everywhel
IT else, and there are many reasons VIII
~ one should be more successfl
here than in many oth'
- sections. | can not d
ID better than close with the concludir
,e resi- luton passed at the manufactu
ers and business mems conventio
held at Fort Worth last week:
III Whereas, The great fairs and exp'
49, sitions of this state have and are col
tributing largely to the developmel
8! of Texas, and are among the mo
l. important factors in advertising
he the world the infinite and incompf
~ able resources OF this great stat
:. therefore,
le Resolved, That this conventi'
OF heartily endorse and approve the fai
in of Texas, and commend them to t
es counties of the state as the best pos
hla means f exhibiting and advert