The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-24
ADVANTAGES Of
BIG STATE FAIR.
Committee Issues Address to
Business Men and Citizens
of Richmond.
ASKS HEARTY COOPERATION
Declares Central Exhibition Of
fcrs Great Opportunity For
Developing the State.
ASKS HEARTY COOPERATION

In an address to tho business men OF
Richmond and to citizens generally,
calling upon them for liberal contrlbu.
tions and hearty cooperation, the Com
mittee on Organization of the Virginia
State Fair points out the advantages to
be derived from the exhibition proposed
and indicates its wide scope and the
rich promises 1t holds for the develop
nent of the State IN many important
directions.
From every section Of the state, since
the Fair project was announced have
como evidences OF approval from farm
ers, country merchants and business
| men of smaller cities and towns and
there Is manifest readiness on the part
of the people generally to unite In the
movement, provided that Richmond
means business and will go in for the
alone can make 1t SUCCESS The Com
mittee on Organization. which has been
steadily at work for some time, is COM
posed Of Chairman Henry G. Stuart, Col
John Murphy and Messrs. j. II. Ander-
son, e. B. Sydnor. NJ. c.. Patterson, j.
G. Corley, L. o. Miller, Joseph Waller
stein, g. D. Crenshaw and M. A. Cham
bers. The address to tho public was
prepared by Messrs. ]. Stewart Bryan,
Alfred B. Williams and c. b. Cooke I'M
der the direction OF the full committee.
1t reads as follows
To tho People and Business Men OF
Richmond:
Richmond can revive and perpetuate
the old State Fair The one question
Is whether Richmond will. and to that
question there can be but one answer.
It Is certain that the people and the
business men Of. the capital city Of Vir-
ginia OF to-day are not less enterprising
and energetic than those OF ten, fifteen
and twenty years ago. and they have
before them opportunities and proc
poets undreamed OF then. The people
Of the State are not only more willing
than over before to respond by contri-
buttons, exhibits and attendance to a
call for great State Fair. gathering
them together for social intercourse and
assembling the products Of their indus
try for mutual encouragement and en-
liRhtenment and for advertisement to
tho world, but they are more able.
yIrginians arc more than ever In the
long history of the old State convinced
that they know too little of each other
and OF the achievement and progress OF
sections and counties and they know
that they lac more to show than ever.
They are 3 better condition TO come
preceded them. and they know that also.
The Old State Fair.
Perhaps a mistake was made in sns-
pending the State Fair we had This
is done and discussion of it now is use
less. Recent history proves that State
fairs which have persisted in the face
of apparently adverse conditions and
those which have been revived or in
comparatively recent years have been
established have succeeded thoroughly.
They have attracted vast crowds of peo-
pie. they have advertised States and
cities. they have brought great returns
To exhibitors, individually In many de-
partr,ents, and to tho public in the way
OF investments, immigration and pur-
| chases They have paid most satisfac-
| tory dividends to stockholders. rms is
| the story of official reports from South,
East and West. The people are In the
hurnor. They have the things to ex-
hibit and to sell; they have the money
with which to travel. to pay to see and
to buy when their judgment suggests
buying.
Richmond's Great Opportunity.
All the conditions and the recent ex-
periences Indicate Richmond's opportu-
nifty. Her business men and people are
asked to contribute promptly sl50,0oo
| with this amount we can go before the
| state and present indisputable proof
| that we mean business. and that the
! capital of the State. one OF the richest
| and strongest cities of its size In the
| country, is able. willing and ready to
| invite all Virginia to come here and
hold huge annual reunion--a reunion
! of her people her products, her pros
perIty. progress and development which
| Va rat, n
buildings equipment. attractions and
liberal cash premiums. We cannot af-
ford TO present anything shabby or ins
ADEQUATE or sklmped. We are living In
| a time when people expect and demand
| that everything be done and presented
| 4, first rate style, and Richmond. with
her wealth and prestige. can meet these
| reouirements. would be ashamed TO rail-
| short of them.
A Rich Promise Justified.
| No enterprise can be suggested richer
| In promise or with the promise more
surely sustained ty actual conditions ana
practical experience. None is more ur-
gently demanded of ~ city Intending TO
| hold her place in the State and the
country None could be more effective
| In regalning the lost and rewriting TO us
| the wavering affections and interest Of
| those people of our Commonwealth, and
| of neighboring States, who have been
estranged by remote position. by lack Of
proper railroad connections or by the
enterprise and push of rival cities II
Richmond hopes to win or to hold her
own In the race Of progress and growth,
! she must attract people here. We know
Iwhat the Horse Show does for u.s. The
State Fair is intended to accompany and
strengthen the Horse Show and to in
crease It's attractions a hundred-fold.
Certainly Richmond has q vital interest
lin developing the agricultural resources
OF the State. Virginia has a wider range
and a larger variety of profitable pro-
ducts than any State OF the Union, and
yet we continually drain ourselves of