Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-12-08

| ton is without many objectionable
| features found elsewhere.
This beautiful building where we are
! assembled today, together with its con-
| tents at the last fair, is as good an
| example of the great stride we have
made in modcrnizing an Agricultural
| Fair as we can conceive Of.
/ What would our fathers have said
! if any one had told them that there
| would ever be an Agricultural Fair
| held in this part of New England that
would make such building as this
even a possibility: if / say this of the
! building itself. what shall l say of its
marvellous contents during the days of
our late exhibition? Nothing approach
| ing them WAS ever dreamed of by any
Of our rivals. But the end is not yet in
| this direction, | am bound to believe,
| for already plans are making to many
| times outdo the last great Exhibition in
| this hall, and there is no reason why
the improvements in this department
should not be at least duplicated in the
| others, and we honestly believe they
| will he.
| Now / trust that | have not said
anything to lead any one to believe for
a moment that the Central Maine Fair
| is antaGonistic to any other similar
| Association. Not in the least. We ali
| help each other. one of the trustees of
one Of the other state Fairs told me
| only ycstt rday that this fair had been
| the means, of greatly stimulating their
! fair and drawing about it old time
| patrons that had seemed to lose their
| interest iii it. Just so, but our friends
| must not rest satisfied that they have
| tn" measure of this Association. and
| know precisely what they have to do to
beat it, We have not reached our high
| water mark by a good deal, and the
next exhibition given on these grounds
| will demonstrate the fact very conclu-
| sivcIv. No. Brothers and Sisters, we
have now got our feet placed, and are
sure to groW-not as rapidly as we have
in the last two years. but slowly, solid
~ and permanently, | believe.
I'VE have not made as much money
| as pcrhaps we ought to have done. but
| Ne have made Il great Fair, which is
unquestionably Of greater Importance
| We have laid the foundation sure and
fast, and have the confidence of the
1 'N'A
| word with them in every respect, and
they in return have bestowed thell
patronage upon us in a very marked
degree. The TrcaSurer'S report VIII
show the financial status of the Asso-
| citation.
"l;ut this is not all. We have secured
| q permanent backing of one hundred
| solid business men and exhibitors Wht
| have taken out Life Memberships II
| the Association. No Fair Association
in ihe world has better supporters thal
these loyal citizens are sure to prove
| Although we have gone our limit IL
| issuing memberships, | know or man!
| right here at this meeting, who Wou!t
like to enter this list, who are ready
with their money and their support t'
aid us. We need the moral backing ol
these men more than we need theil
money. but we could use both, and an
of the opinion that it would be wise
! move to sell 100 more membership;
right here today. if they are called for
and thus strengthen our standing II
the State, just so much the more
There is clause on each certlflcate
| that permits us to redeem the ucke'
if il ever becomes a burden to us. Ihls
to my mind is very wise Safeguard
under all the circumstances, and one
that makes the issuance OF additiona
memberships absolutely safe if you
gentlemen decide so to do.
But 1 am reminded that this is {
business meeting. and not a literary ell
tertainment, but l cannot close these
jumblcG remarks without expressing tt
you. one and all, my sincere thanks fol
the uniform kindness you have deal
out TO me as your presiding officer
We have labored together with an eye
single 20 the welfare of Central Maine
Fair. and how well 1 have performed
the part assigned to me is now history
/ l have made many mistakes. but M
one has seen them quicker than myself
: nor regretted them more sincerely. bu
Trey have all been Of the head and no
| of the heart. assure you.
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