The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-26

Given by the Pie Eeaters for Not Aiding
the Fair.

'And they all began to make excuses"
The puny pie-eaters of the Board OF
Agriculture are all giving excuses for
voting against Il small appropriation to
he used in giving the farmers premiums
for agricultural exhibits at the State
Fair and some of these excuses are
really funny.
One of the most prominent of those
who had previously declared himself III
favor of it now declares that the reason
he voted against it was because Chair
man Simmons asked for a copy Of the
report of the Agricultural Department
and gives that as Il reason for the defeat
Of the resolution.
But it is said that the defeat of the
proposition was brought about mainly
by Hill. e. King and J. L. Kelly, King
member of the board and also an at
tachc of the manure pile and j. l.. Kelly,
Ohio Wilson's brother-in-law, another
pie-cater, an the compost heap these
sweet sappy geraniums raised strenuous
objection to aiding the fair, and told the
''weaklings' on the board that Col. John
$. Cunningham was the president Of the
fair, that he was also Il Democratic can
didatc for Governor and that if the
board should aid the society and the fair
should be Il success that it would make
Cunningham popular. and probably make
votes for him in 1900. This was told
to several members of the board. One
Republican member who voted for the
appropriation before, stated that this was
one of the arguments used on him and
that Kelly was using it for all it was
worth and this was probably the real
cause of the defeat of the measure.
1T is but just to Col. Cunningham"
says Mr.. John Nichols, the Secretary
of the Fair who is Il deep dycd-in-the-
wool Republican, Ito state that when the
appropriation was first asked for, Col.
Cunningham had nothing in the world to
do with it, and did not even know it"
Mr.. Nichols was the real originator
of the idea He knew the department
had Il big surplus. He naturally thought,
so he says. that a few hundred dollars
of this surplus might be used in the
direction suggested. He spoke to Mr..
w. S. Primrose, a member of the exc
cutive committee. Mayor Russ and Mr..
Il. g. Raney, president of the Chamber
of Commerce. and together they went
before the board and asked for the APP
preparation before Col. Cunningham
even ever heard of it. When Col. Cum
ningham did hear of it, he thought rs
the other gentlemen, that it would be the
proper thing for the Agricultural Depart
ment to do. so he came to Raleigh. When
the matter came up the second time
loyal and patriotic man as he is, paid
his own expenses, and with no reward or
hope of reward did all he could to ger
the department TO give this pittance TO
the fair. He, perhaps, has never
dreamed of the governorship nor any
other political office in connection with
the fair, and it is but little less than
Il crime against common dccency that
these little dried up carcasses of an
epoch of political shame and corruption
should so befoul themselves and
those with whom they come in contact.
The fair association has no politics in
it.
a Republican is the secretary and has
been for years. There are men of all
parties in its executive committee, and
this attempt to bring it into politics
should have been beneath the notice
or consideration of even SO pucrile a
set rs many of those who comprise the
Board of Agriculture have shown them
selves 10 he