The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-20
SAYS FAIR MUST
 CLOSE ON SUNDAY A Regulator Calls on General Manager MacKnight NO POOLS WILL BE SOL Mir. MacKnleht Explains to the Resu- Iator That There Will Be No vlO-
 Iatlon of the Law-Let-
 ters Received.
NO POOLS WILL BE SOL

I've can't allow your fair to go on if you are going to advocate pool selling, and open your show on Sunday. We are going to oppose this fair association on account of these things. We don't like it. We are against pool selling and the breaking of the Sabbath, and we are going to oppose you with all our night
 The manager of the state fair was dazed for a moment but recovered from the shock and replied with great cool ness and decorum to the regulator: My dear sir, you are entirely mistaken. We are not going to sell pools. We have not told anybody we were going to sell pools. We have not asked anybody to let us sell pools, and we have no wish to sell pools. We know the law, and we will maintain It We have taken steps to prevent any breach of the law at the fair grounds during the stats fair this fall Order will be maintained there as well as in any other part of Birming- ham, and nothing will be aone to offend the eye or the scruples of the most fasti- dious person In Birmingham"
 Wanted 1t Closed.
 But" replied the regulator, you are going to open the fair on Sunday You are to have diving horses and diving elk performing on that day. and we ob- ject to that. We want the fair closed tight on Sunday"
 Why so?" asked Mir. MacKnight; have you any serious objection to the thousands of people who are not able to attend the fair on a week day being allowed to see the exhibits and to hear some music, which is elevating to mind and soul, on a Sunday afternoon? My own opinion is. MT. Regulator, that you have taken a very narrow view of the matter. You ought to broaden your horizon a little bit. and take a wider view of the affairs of men. Narrowness. bigotry and fanaticism have done more to retard the human race than any other evil agency that has been at work in the world. he time has come when the peo> pie refuse to be regulated by these methods. The state fair Is calculated to entertain and enlighten the people. It will show them what is going on in the world It will amuse them, elevate them. rest them, and prepare them to continue the tolls of life. which are all together too arduous as a rule and not sufficiently broken up by recreation and amusement"
 The regulator shuffled about a little restlessly, and said that he had not come to the fair office to be criticized.
 Has Public Confidence.
 No" said Manager MacKnight, and I don't invite you here to criticize the Fair association. By the methods that we have employed to establish a per manent fair In Birmingham, this associa- ton has won the confidence and the sup port of practically the entire community. What we are doing is well known to the public, and nearly everybody except few narrow people, who will be likely to take a biased view of almost anything in sight, are well aware that the only thing we have done in respect to horse racing Is to request the law officers of the city to enable us to have some good horse racing, strictly within the letter and spirit cf the law If you will ask Chief Austin about It he will tell you that we have recognized from the first that pool sell ing was against the law, and that we have made no suggestion to sell ans pools. And the reason why we are obliged to have the fair grounds open on Sunday is tc protect from $50.000 to $GO.000 worth Of property, which will be on exhibition there, and which must be protected every day in the week and every night in the week. 'On Sunday the fair grounds will open at noon in order to enable those people xho cannot come there on week days to visit and study the beautiful exhibits which will be made In the various de- partments. A sacred concert will also be given but no other exhibitions will be allowed. All the men holding executive positions in connection with the fair are religious men and church members, and they are as anxious to have the fair on a high plane, and to make 1t conducive to the moral advancement of the people. as any regulator" can possibly be.
 The regulator hardly stopped to listen to the closing remarks of the general manager, but he went out muttering to himself some dire threats in regard to what would be done by him and his CO., adjutors to oppose the Fair association.
 Letters Received.
 The following letters were received at | headquarters yesterday, the first from | Pres. Edward Flynn of the United Mine | Workers of America and the other from | B. L. Greer, vice-president of District 20: |
 Birmingham, September 19. 1902. To Alabama Fair Association: I wish to assure you that the United | Mine Workers of America, District 20, | fully appreciate the fact that you have | set apart a union labor day. Your asso- citation has our good will and influence.
 I advise colored miners to aid the Negro | Department by their presence during the | fair and especially on Negro Day, No | vember 8. 1902. David W. Parker of Bes- | semer, who has charge of the Negro | Department is cordially remembered by | miners attending convention in that city. |
 EDWARD FLYNN,
 President District No. 20.
 Birmingham, Ala. Sept 19 1902. Prof. David w. Parker, Bessemer, Ala:
 Dear Friend-I am glad that the Ala bama Fair association has a negro de- partment Do your best to make 1t a | success I will urge all miners of our race to be present on negro day.
 You well know that I am race man. and you can command my services when l you need me. B. l.. GREER, Vice President District 20. U. Nj. w. of A | General Manager MacKnight leaves | this morning on an early train to visit | several counties where work is being