The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-01-31
THE COUNTY FAIRS.
They Are Educational Factors with Many
Shortcomings. A Convention at
Sandy Spring.

They Are Educational Factors with Many
Shortcomings. A Convention at
Sandy Spring.
Nearly two hundred of the leading
farmers of Montgomery county, with
fair sprinkling from the counties of
Howard, Prince Georges Aune Arundel
aud Hartford, met on Tuesday at Sandy
Spring for the consideration of matters
| of special interest to agriculturists. Mr..
Henry C. Hallowell, who for the past
these conventions, resigned his gavel and
after brief speech, took his place upon
the floor. This was done on account of
his i'll health, which prevents him from
giving the necessary attention to the
duties of the Office he has held SO long.
He was succeeded by Mr.. Benjamin d.
Palmer. Messrs. Francis Snowden and
Charles E. Bond were the secretaries.
The matters considered were the prac-
teal affairs Of the farm, and nearly
everybody present. took part in the dis
wards the close of the convention over
the discussion of the question. Will 1t
pay the average farmer, financially, to
participate in the av9rig, county fair?
Mr.. Edward p. Thomas, who opened
the discussion, maintained that it would
| not. The average farmer" he said.
''should read at least one daily paper,
| his county paper, special journals
| on agriculture and science regularly,
aud at least one good novel every year.
| He should keep thoroughly posted on
what is going on in the world, and after
doing this and attending to his farm he
| will ind that his time is too valuable to
| to spend a day or so at the average cou1-
| ty fair, where speeches by poor orators,
games of chance and scrub races are the
principal attractions. The average fair
| is a good place 20 advertise farming ma
chinery, aid it seems that the manufac
| lures of it " ish to make the farmers pay
| for advertising as we'll as for the mac
! hines themselves | think we should
| aim to make ourselves more than aver
age farmers. We should take princi
pal place in rural life-a position that
naturally belongs to u.s."
| Mr.. Henry C. Hallowell made spirited
defence of county fairs. "There is moth
ing that pay the farmer better than to
| 90 to the average county fairs" he said.
'It takes him out of himself, it shows
him something of the world, aud it takes
some of the conceit out of him, which is
| the bane of his existance. 1t is a step
backward to say that farmers are not
benefited by any means which bring
them togather.
Major Henry E. Alvord, president of
| the Maryland Agricultural College, said
that the whole matter resolved itself in
to the question Does education pay? The
only chance the farmers have practical
object lesson, he said, is the county fair
and your county fair ls just what you
will make it. | have been TO every one
| that has been held in the State, and |
shall speak plainly. | haven't seen one
| I'd consent to have son of mine in for
six hours. Lessons of immortality are on
every hand. For Gods sake make them
clean or let the farmers damn them. 1t
is not necessary to have objectionable
features in them. This is a mistaken
| idea. | have visited them in every
State from Mississippi to the Atlantic
ocean, and the ones that have the largest
attendance, that work the best result
that the most prosperous and has the
most money in the treasury are the
clean ones" This was greeted with loud
applause.
MIR. Charles Albert took the floor to
indorse Major Alvord's words. | am in
favor of agricultural fairs, he said, but
don't favor making fair a cloak for
a horse race club. When go to fair
want one to which can take my wife
and children, and which will contain moth
ing to offend them. There is not such a one
in Montgomery county. The Tiff raft of
Washington and of Montgomery county
go there, aud why? To attend the horse
races. Where do the fights occur, where
do you see the betting and gambling,
aud hear the curslng? Around the race
track aud stables. Let the farmers put
their stamp of disapproval on Theses things
It's all trash ADD CANNON to say we can t
get along without 1t. II we cannot better
let the fairs go"
Messrs. Henry Miller and L. j. Hall
| spoke in favor of races at fairs.