The times., 1899-09-24
The Country Fair.


This is the season Of the county fair
in the rural districts and as many city
people have attended these functions in the
days Of their youth, some reflections on
the nature and usefulness of the cattle
show" as it is sometimes known. may not
be inappropriate-
The comic papers have made a great
deal of fun of these fairs, and SO has the
draInatist, but like many other much ridi-
euied things. they are exceedingly good for
a community. It would be one of the best
things which could happen if a fair were
held in every rural section thickly popu-
lated enough to support one, and not
crowded enough to make the affair mere
tricious and suburban in character. Any
thing that stimulates ambition without
overexciting the subject is good; and the
old-time fair, and some modern ones, un-
dcubtedly have done this.
There is no wisdom in expecting a man
to toll without an end in view. He must
have pride in his work. II he works mere
ly for money he is likely to be bad cit
izen, for he may either become miser or
gambler, or both. If, on the other hand,
he looks no further than the days work,
content to earn his living and that of his
family, without question as to the future,
or interest in the work itself, he is also
a bad citizen, because he is liable to be-
come pauper, and not likely to be very
good workman. The man who is really
interested In his task who desires to ac-
complish it in the best possible manner,
and the shortest possible time, who has
pride in being known as fine workman,
and desires TO leave respected name to
his children-he is the man who is really
a good citizen. He Will not sell his vote
or his influence, because he has self re-
spect; he viii not submit TO aggression, be-
cause he has the work of his hands at
stake; he is apt TO be independent OF op-
pressiye influence, because his assistance
is too valuable. TO throw away; and he is
as well read as his circumstances will al
low, because he knows that he will do
better work for being educated. There are
some men who are naturally artists. though
their calling may be that of an art
work IL they could live by ioafing: and
there is a large class between these ex-
tremes. As in all social and ethical ques-
tions, il is this middle, debatable class.
which must be considered. Many of this
class, if encouraged. will be good citizens.
and IL discouraged or let alone, will be
very bad ones. 1t is to them that the
laissez faire doctrine does harm, while it
has no very great effect on the other two
classes.
| Here is the advantage of the county fair
as il should be conducted. II gives both
men and women the stimulus of rivalry.
generally perfectly good-natured rival
~. II creates, eventually, healthy com
petition between different communities
1t serves as sort of labor and produce
market, so that work is brought to the
hands which need it. The big industrial
exhibits are all very well, but the smaller
fairs are better, because they reach, di-
rectly, more people. Moreover-and this
should not be forgotten-they increase the
sum of human happiness. If some poor
soul who can do nothing but make patch
] NOih 4uiiAo nAAo luc pIlLe III Iudl depart
ment, and is made happy for months by the
proud consciousness of being at the head
OF her class, that, after all, is not a small
good, in this matter-of-fact world If
some child tolls patiently at his garden
patch studying farming methods with all
his wits, in order that he. some day, may
be known as the man who raises the best
fruit or the finest vegetables in the coun-
~. that is a fine thing. When a man who
must spend his days in manual labor feels
| that he has nothing to work for that his
life is mere drudgery and blind struggle in
the great chaos OF interests and forces, he
is apt TO grow discontented, nationally or
irrationally. and TO develop into more o.
less dangerous factor in the body polite
II takes a strong man to work without re-
| ward and keep himself sane.