The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-01-20
THE STATE FAIR CRAFT.

tlon who are making or proposing to
make an organized effort to locate the
Tennessee Fair In Columbia, assume
that the appropriation has already been
made and that the State Fair is set
tied proposition. That is a most
violent pre- sumption, but it is. at the
same time, a most successful way to
play the game. Success, you know /,
begets success; and politicians eS
pecially like to he on the winning side.
So a straight face and stiff bluff are
strong arguments in carrying things
through the legislature.
But the fact is that this same limo
cent looking little bill. drawn solely,
wholly and entirely in the interest of
the stock breeders and farmers, by the
Retail Merchants Association of Nash
Wills and other eleemosynary lnstitu-
tions-the N. & G. r. r., the l.. &
NJ, and the Nashville Terminal Co. !;
this same innocent looking little bill,
we say, has had enough hard, level
headed country farmers in the House
to Kill it two or three successive terms
heretofore, and, We trow, will meet
the same fate this time. So it is
hardly fair. as we see it, to assume as
ioregone conclusion that the bill will
pass. 1t is not treating the people just
fair and right to close the argument
against the hll just yet. 1t Is not
giving the people all CT the facts to tell
them that the appropriation is sure to
be made.
It seems to us unfair to the people to
slip up on the blind side of them by
making 1t "a fight for Columbia, =
before the bill asking for State APP
preparation has even been introduced.
Our friends nf the local Fair Associa-
tion have gotten the cart entirely
before the horse. First, the appIo-
priation must be made by the Leglsla-
ture. Then the Commissioners must
be appointed by the Governor. Then
the several towns of the State may file
their claims for preferment. But ig-
nering possible hostile legislature,
and unmindful of the personnel CT the
commissioners, the Columbia Fair
Association are proceeding to pIeempt
and locate the State Fair before it is
born.
"Such unseemly haste doth Ill betit
the grace of so distinguished an
assembly,
The Herald hopes not to be mis-
understood. We are firm and fast
friend of the local Fair Association.
We think it was splendidly managed
last year, and reflected great credit
upon the county. We hope to see it
grow and prosper. But we are opposed
to any legislative graft for its benefit.
Oh for the benefit of any other private
or quasi public corporation of any
kind.
The Herald is for Columbia, first,
last and all the time. We believe it
to be the best town in the best county
In the best state IN the Union. We de-
sire to aid in Its prosperity, its growth
and development, in every way that
our conscience can approve. But we
are opposed TO any legislative graft for
Columbia or for any other town in
the State
The Herald is opposed to the State
Fair appropriation bill. Because, as
we see 1t, it is legislative graft IN
the interest of Nashville and the RAIL
roads of the State. Not that we have
any spite or spleen or prejudice against
Nashville and the Railroads; but be-
cause the principle IS wrong. Because
all such appropriations are an abuse
of the taxing power; In the interest of
the few at the expense of the many.
The bill has so little to recommend
it. that we question if 1t ever becomes
law. II en- is no telling, however,
what the grafters may accomplish ty
their process of swapping votes with
each other. The bill may OF may not
become law. Pending that. we cub
NIT fol- immediate consideration this
proposition:
Ii the friends of Columbia, those
W 10 are working for the Estate FAIR
ut Columbia, will join with us in an
no lest earnest fight against the appro-
priation being made, and so inform