Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-10-05
rEE LESSON OF THE PAIR.

The annual stats iaic is over. Tdsse
are a'sD district and county fairs sEd
then lhere Is the Portland exposition
What lesson is to be learned Of all this?
All states aud counties have fairs and
exhibitions. Ia the west they Rte
mainly expositipns tf sports aud
Amusement. Gn the older coniniini-
ties OF the east there 10 shar, cJ'nps
tition in all classes Of prodgcts aad tae
premiums awarded are eagerly con
tes.ed for. The fair may be said to be
som ,thing more than bippadr"wt
and InOuey-maSiug rusetpriss.
Wnst is the iess,ja Of tne fair TuAt
the public likes smuseneut aud money
makinL? 1, that ai.? NJ 81 people ike
to meet on pubic occa OF. rnat lie p
great clviliziug inf ience, evel to as
semble in large Dumbers ;. hUrsr
race, u cycle race or buil race. a
bull can fight. he can't race. IL
cruel to race large fat bull. But eyer
that crude and cruel sport the muii
tudes went wild over. The c.udI,
the more ridiculous, the create seeDl' d
the enjoyment Of even civilized peT
sons. They seem to enjsy themse've
infinitely more than the Indians.
Isn't our capacity TO enjoy, 10 bv
amused, To forget self and selfishncss
the measu-e of civilization 1neu
why should not u state fair b' =
hippodrome, a continual prograul Il
racing, hurdlinR, Wild West shows
must ums, roIe-walking, balloon asceD
sions? No one goes 10 state fall tu
study agriculture or hear speeches. IL
10 the poorest place iil tie world a.
deliver addresses That n'igbt IA wvii
be nbandond. Tue 500 Bryan cosi,
the 800 Rev. DAVIS cost, might as well
have been put Into another horse race,
FOR all the multitude cared. al sta,e
fair Ia not amenab,e TO purely NJ )ral oi
ethical considerations.
Is state fair worth what q st-
Yes, ten times over. 1t IN worth II ~
a public educator, IA public civllIzsr, a
social equalizer. IL may not be what
you'd make IL or what we'd make It,.
People prefer to go to be amused, to bs
entertained, to visit, to watch "A race,
TO buy pools, to visit the shows, to TAX
ing premiums. II that Ia their wish,
why deny IL? Are we to deny the
pu5lIc all recreation? Is everything to
be put ON basis Of education aud
moral instruction, are there TO be no
more cakes aud ale In this hard-work-
ing world? We could lind a great
deal Of fault with the universe, but
why do IL?
THE JOURNAL Is in no mood to be
serious or criticize the state fair. This
year THE JOURNAL good naturedly let
the fair 60 as II please, and the result
ia nearly as good. The world seems
willing to run after the clown, the sport
and the gambler, when II is In it's holi-
day mood, and has little patience with
the man who makes fine moral dis
tinctions. We would have been glad
to zee better blooded stock and less
ballooAing. But the ballonist must
live. While thousands Of farmers are
interested In better blooded stock, ope
balloOnist serves the whole Pacific
coast. We cannot find fault because
there was not a better horse show
because the horse has seen its best day.
If II were not for the gambling
attachments there would be little inter.
est In horse racing. But thousands OF
people Are gamblers in small way.
The sheep, swine and poultry depart
ments were all short Of common.
But the business depression resting on
agriculture, rested on the fair and
made II wonderful that there were any
exhibits at all. Where the people got
the money from to buy tickets at the
gates or bet on horse races was mys-
terry. II was nearly all silver, but there
was great deal Of II. The hop yards
must haYe contributed u great deal OF
It. But The major part Of the people
felt too poor To go b. the fair.
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The platform OF the Nebraska Re