Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-25
READFIELD FAIR.
Threatening Weather Does Not
Keep Crowd Away.
Excellent Address by Prof. William
Hurd of U. of Maine.
Story Of the Races-Premiums Award.
ed-Other Features.

The cloudy weather. this morning, did
not look very suspicious to the man
ayers of the fair and they began to
reckon. not how many, but how few,
would dare to come. But the fair low
ers We're not to be frightened. for the
Journal had said fair. today" and of
course that meant Readlield fair. The
teams kept coming until it was seen
that Il very good crowd for the last
day, had passed through the gates. The
sky continued threatening all the fore
noon and not until the races We're
started in spite of it. did the sun smile
out
The first attraction Of the day was
the exhibition of neat cattle in front of
the grandstand by +. +. Robinson of
Mt Vernon, and S. W. Lewis of the
raded a team of nine splendid yoke of
cattle, every yoke a prize winner, as
was proved by the goad stick covered
with sribbons which he carried. His
best yoke. which captured the blue at
Lewiston and Bangor. We're footsore
and could not be brought to Readfield.
Mr.. Lewis showed two bulls and two
cows, the pick of his fine herd.
The Address.
TIE address was given at II o'clock.
President Mayo of the Association in
troduced Rev. Mr.. Weston of Fayette,
who offered prayer. President Mayo
then introduced Prof William D. Hurd
of Orono, the orator of the day. He
was welcomed with generous applause
andgiven very strict attention, for his
address was an able. scholarly and in
teresting production. He spoke as fol-
lows:
: l can assure you that 1 consider it Il
great honor to have been asked by the
secretary to meet with you at your
county fair today
| realize that | have before me peO-
pie representing nearly every walk in
life
Your secretary has asked me to speak
on the past, present and what | con-
slder TO be the future of agriculture in
this great land, Il subject in which
am deeply and earnestly Interested To
those before me who are actually en-
gagged in farming hope what | have
to say will appeal to you in a straight
forward common sense way. TO those
other classes not living on farms. bur
who realize that they are dependent
to n great degree on the farmer and
the products of his labor to you | hope
these few words will serve to awaken
y new interest in some of the social
problems before the people today. 1t is
not my purpose to enter into any
lengthy discussion of scientific princi-
pies but rather to bring before you in
Il simple commonplace way if | car
some of the problems now confronting
Il very great number of the thinking
people of this country, with the hope
Of creating and arousing a deeper in
tcrcst in country life and country liv-
ing.
| was fortunate enough to have beer
born on Il farm. 1t was a small farm
too, and | believe | understand some OF
The ups and downs which enter into tho
life of the farmer. In the past years
have had an excellent opportunity OF
studying the general conditions as they
are found in Michigan. Illinois, New
York and New England. With these
things in view, and with the firm be-
lief in my own mind. that agriculture is
the most noble. the most enjoyable, the
most independent, and in many way:
| the most profitable occupation open tC
: future generations. | shall ask your at
! tention for d very few moments
| \ recent writer on economic problems
says in part:
| Agriculture is not only the basis o.
our national prosperity but the farm
| ing population is generally considered
| to be the backbone of a nations mora
| character. 1t is difficult to ovetrat'
| the influence of agriculture in forming
temperate and virtuous habits of tn,
| people.
Did you ever stop to consider wha
an important part of the agricultural
| interests of the United States plays il
the worlds history? Without burdenins
you with unnecessary statistics, let m,
use the one illustration of wheat alone
In 1900. the wheat crop of this countr.
was estimated at 522. 100000 bushels
against 800. OO00 900 bushels produced b,
Russia, and $4,000, 900 by Great Britain
In round numbers the United States
produces 50 per cent. of all the foot
consumed by the world, today. Surel!
with such figures as these at hand there
can be no dispute over the Importance
of this industry.
| | am using the term agriculture il
i its broadcast sense and am applying
! to all lines of work carried on by thos'
/ living in the country.
The development of this nation Ia
/ been parked by constant and rapi'
change from one state to another ant
a step higher. Probably no other PEG
pie on the globe ever witnessed such
/ rapid transformation as we who liv
I in this. the twentieth century. are nov
Continued on page 3D.