The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-11-12
CLEANSE THE MIDWAY.

'dbbFdCb1OuS was "A4hOOA' NJ " bAOAO
of the same tenor had appeared in
any newspaper From articles ap
pearing since that time, however,
we fad that many other editors
think as we do in regard to this mat
ter, notably the editors Of the Raj
eigh Christian Advocate, Elon Col
leg Sun, News and Observer, Car
thage Blade, Biblical Recorder,
Greenville Reflector, Warrenton
Record, Smithfeld Herald, Chatham
Record, Sanford Express, Winston
Sentinel, Charity and Children, Lit
tIeton Reporter, Scotland Neck Com
mOnwealtn, Fremont Visitor and
Statesvllle Landmark.
None of these have stated the case
more ably than the Chatham Record
in it's refresbingly vigorous com
ment: 1--WE congratulate the off
GERS of the Fair upon the great sue
cess that crowned their efforts, and
regret that they should have allowed
so many indecent side shows and
gambling tables to disgrace the 90
caslOn, If such are permitted again
then decent and respectable people
should not attend the Fair. No
respectable lady could walk in the
most pubic places at this Fair with
out being shocked at the s ght of bra
z ntAced and scantily dressed women,
both white and cOlOred, exhi ibing
themselves in the most indecent
manner. Su h disgusting scenes
we're u disgrace to the Fair officials
and an insult TO all respectable visi-
tors"
The opinions of most of the other
newspapers are best expressed by
two sentences from the Sanford Elk
ress and Statesviile Landmark. The
Express says: ''If the Fair cann"t
DO made d success with rut the Iaklr
and side show the quicker is is
a0olisht d the better it will be tor the
people of the State" And this is
the landmarks Opinion: elf the
State Fair cannot attract d crowd
without becoming Ii for fl tn
the sooner it goes out of business the
better"
But from the Biblical Recorder
C me the most defiant and unmerci-
full criticism of the Fair managers
Pc, hap it is just at any rate, its
/, filters have no right to expect bet
ter things We quote: As the
reader loves his State, respects HIM
self, cares for his child, hOnOIs re
revere woman, we plead with
him to do all that he can 10 prevent
Il repetition of this Carnival of shame
in our land. ~ u S cial institution,
as an educational Institution, as an
IL dustriAl institution, as an agrloul
tural institute IN, We would uphold
the Fair. Bot it is defiantly, shame
~fagrantly an institution of
., of Indecency, Of lust, of bestial-
IN the fear of God, and without
any fear whatever of the men who
made this prostitution of our State
possible and who now carry the
price Of it in their pockets, and with
full knowledge of the meaning of
our words, we declare that as an
of vice, of shame, of all
unoleanness, as an agency for the
of women and the de-
1tl uctiOn IF men, the Fair last week
utterly obiterated the good purposes
which lt vas founded. We charge
-oretary POgue with responsibility
for this we charge President Cox
and we charge the Executive Com
mIttee."
We might give further extracts
but the foregoing show plainly the
drift of pubic opinion. The Mid way
mus6 be purged of It's vileness or the
decent people of the State will give
the Fair over to the bas T element
TO whom it has so boldly pande. ed.
And If this years high carnival of
fish was necessary to arouse the
peO pie, then good has come out of
evil,
The writer is not pers nAIlg &C
quainted with the new President,
Mr.. l. Banks Holt, bus a G. ntleman
who know s him we'll us that
he will undoubtedly throw his Whole
Influence against the features that
dis zracrd this years Midway and
Inundated nine tenths of those that
the Fair.