The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-30
SECOND DAY EVENTS
OF cOL0R[D FAIR
Address by the Commissioner
of Agriculture.
SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK
The colored Fail Grows in interest and
the Management are Looking Forward
to a Great DAY Friday Win
Booker Washington Speaks.

The Colored State Fair is growing in in
terest and the events of the second day
clearly indicated this. The parade to the
Fair was still better yesterday than the
day before. There were more marshals,
more carriages filled with officers and Wis
itors. and larger crowd accompanied the
parade.
Near the grounds the parade was Joined
with another carriage containing four of
the State officials and the colored people
greatly appreciated their presence. Again
the Newbern Colored Concert Band rem
dered excellent music, both on parade and
at the Fair. The opening exercises took
place intFloral Hall Immediately after the
inspection of exhibits by the State officials
present, these being Treasurer B. r. Lacy,
Auditor Is. f. Dixon, Insurance Commits
sioner j. r. Young, and S. l.. Patterson,
Commissioner of Agriculture.
Commissioner Patterson made the formal
opening address and he was enthusiast
cally applauded for the sincere and earnest
manner in which he spoke 20 the people.
He showed the Importance of colored peo-
pie excelling in domestic work, the trades
and especially agriculture, and urged upon
them 10 save money and keep at work
and not stop as soon as they had earned
little. His was a most excellent adj
dress. The other officers did not speak,
but entered fully into the spirit of the oc
casion. President Middleton and Secre-
tary Dudley also made remarks endorsing
the address of Mr. Patterson.
COMMISSIONER PATTERSON'S AID
DRESS.
President A. R. Middleton introduced
Hon. S. L. Patterson as the Commissioner
of Agriculture invited to represent Gov
ernor Aycock in opening the Fair.
By way of introduction Commissioner Pat
terson said that he could not represent
Governor Aycock.. but said he. Il am
glad OF the opportunity of saying word
to you, and l appreciate the compliment
you have paid me-
Then the Commissioner told his au-
dience that he had looked over the ex-
hibits, and he considered that they had
done well They had shown decided prog
Iess in mechinacal skill, as evidenced by
the exhibits from the industrial depart
ment OF Shaw University and the A. and
M. College at Greensboro. He said he had
examined with great interest the skilled
needlework and fancy work. ON exhibition
from Franklin county especially, as well
as other parts of the State. He was sure
the specimens of foods iellies, jams and
preserved fruits, etc, were fine. because
cooking was an art In which the colored
people exeeled For my part" said he,
Il would prefer sitting down to a meal
prepared by good old fashioned South
ern darkey cook, rather than to banquet
at Delmonica's in New York. Why should
not your race excel? Time has been when
they were the best cooks, skilful in needle
work and fancy work. The men were
good carpenters, good mechanics of all
sorts" In this connection the speaker
commended the race for making use Of
their opportunities to become skilled la
borelS.
In the line of agriculture the Commits
sioner said that there never was q time
when the labor of the colored race was
more needed on the farms than now, nor
when it would be paid for with money
if as great purchasing value as now;
that there was no better place for the
colored people than right here in North
Carolina. where rich fields invited them.
He said he wanted especially to urge upon
them one lessen. which was that when
they earned a dollar, to put it away, and
not quit work until they had spent it or
used it up, but to add another dollar to it,
and then after awhile another, and so on.
Finally then, they would have an oppor-
tunity of buying a little tract of land and
making a home for themselves and their
children. Good country homes were the
basis of good civilization.
Commissioner Patterson forcefully
elaborated the idea of the colored people
working on the farms and remaining in
the country. instead of going to town.
Land was cheaper now than it would be
hereafter.
6 Finally the speaker complimented his