The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-05
GEN. cox IS CAUST|C
Management Of Fair Defend
ed by its President.
Sarcastic Criticism Of Mr.. Dixon ana General
Toms Speeches al the Colored Fair
Last Week.

To the Editor: In your issue of the
3Gth inst. containing a report Of the negro
Fa;r at Raleigh. the preceding day, after
giving your readers the wise and admir-
able speech Of his Excellency the Gov
ernorF Won say: more music was fol-
lowed nv a short address by DR.. Dixon.
Gle also congratulated them in having
M Midway and pronounced the one at
the state Fair of last week as being "a
disgrace to civilization and the State, an
exhibition that brought the blush OF
shame TO every virtuous woman, who
visited the grounds And then after
ward General Toon spoke a speech. in
which he said. the Governor there had
more hearers than he had at the State
Fair; certainly an equivocal compliment
AS soft words are said to turn away
anger. I trust to be excused for the fol-
lowing comment. Dr. Dixon, having
cleansed his Midway" stomach in the
presence of his colored admirers, ! trust
he feels pretty we'll and will do better
next time he has such an audience.
Shakespeare says comparisons are odi-
Gus, then if so in general. they are
doubly so when used by prominent Demo
cratic officials, elected by white men, to
crafty negroes whose Acknowledgement
they recently urged.
The modern introduction and demand
for Midways in all great international
and local Expositions is to be deprecated,
and their proper regulation and control
are most perplexing to those having in
charge their management and regula-
tions. Some of the shows are instructive
and of high order, while others are OF
the lowest character.
No one was more sensible of these
facts than Mr.. Pogue, who had in charge
this feature of the State Fair. therefore
at the last. meeting of the Executive
Committee, before the fair, he reported
there was the greatest pressure Tor
space on the Midway; he could tell very
little of the character of show until 1T
was in operation. Thereupon an excel
lent committee of gentlemen We're ap-
pointed, (and their names given to the
press) who were to aid him in hearing
complaints and removing Objectionable
displays.
Therefore it may be pertinent to en-
quire of the Doctor whether he made
complaint to any official Of the Fair, dur
ing the existence of these blush for
shames, and if SO, to whom? Or did he
suffer and endure, or leave. the grounds.
Oh, no, the Doctor is too valiant SOL
der to retreat under fire. Rather let us
suppose, while feeling and looking happy,
as he usually does, he was nursing his
4 uyar
fair gave him this opportunity to con-
done the past, by assuring them OF their
great superiority over the white race, by
dispensing with the Midway, (Which we
know the negro despises.
To General Toon, l will suggest, had
it been anticipated that the Auditor and
Superintendent of Education, would fol-
low the Governor. when he opened the
State Fair, with such felicitous speeches
as they made at the negro Fair, perhaps
his audience at the State Fair would
have been larger and this notwithstand-
ing, there was much larger attendance
at the opening this year, and representa-
tives from many more States than there
had been for years.
Notwithstanding Cologne is distin-
guished the world over, for it's great
Cathedral the lovely scenery, its works
of art, and it's delicate perfumes, yet
Carlyle, the English writer, in this cele-
brated city, could find nothing more
worthy to record than that he had dis
covered "thirty-three distinct stinks.
Some men have unfortunate noses.
1t is not natural, it is 1.-The jaundiced
eye" Mark you, the State Fair claims
no exemption from criticism, and in re-
ply only to criticisms of Democratic
officials at negro fairs, we close this
note with quotation from a published
letter of most versatile correspondent,
whose head is level and functions normal
1t may be found in the Tarboro South
erner.
THE greatest of all the forty State
Fairs held by the North Carolina Agri-
cultural Society. closed in blaze of
glory. The attendance of the people, es-
timated at $4,000 on Thursday, was UNI
precedented and its exhibits and attrac-
tons were never so good before"
Respectfully,
w. R. cox
Penelo, October 81, 1901.