The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-10-13
THE NoN-AaRIcULTURAL FAIR.
Katerto,un (N. u Rsformer.

Waterfront (N. ~ Ref0Tner.
The annual meeting of the Jefferson County
Agricultural Association last week has been
most successful in point of numbers and Paid
admissions. The second agricultural society
organized in the State for the purpose of max
ing an annual exhibit of agricultural resources
and stimulating improvement in agriculture,
it is one of the few that survived and its an
nual county fair is always success.
But the spirit of the county fair is undoubt-
eddy changing. At first, when domestic manu-
facture was the rule and everything used was
made at the farm or village by handcraft,
there was On interesting competition and great
educational value. But that has all disappeared
with the advent of machinery and the coming
of factories. There is some educational value
yet in the showing of choice herds of cattle
swine and sheep, and poultry, stimulating q
greater excellence in breeding and improving
farm stock, but for the most part the crowds
which attend want to be amused and take but
a languid interest in displays of vegetables or
household work.
The old-time advocates of county fair Ia
ment this change. They would keep it to its
original purpose for the improvement of agri-
culture, and they see degradations of the insti-
tuition in this decline Of agricultural features
and greater interest in horse trots and balloon
ascensions and the sporting features. Theo.
retically they are right and entitled to sympa-
thy in their views, but practically, as demon
strated by this last exhibition, the public who
patronize the fair will not have it so. The
farmers themselves and their families show the
least interest in the agricultural exhibit and
most in the amusement features. The crowds
of the past week have been collected in the
grand stand to witness races and the horse
exhibits, and about the place where the balloon
was going up.
We may lament this, but it is fact, and
natural evolution, and the fair managers will
have to adapt themselves to it by providing
more amusements. In this rushing time,
when every one is busy and harder worked in
a nerve destroying sense than their fathers or
grandfathers ever were, people demand oppor-
tunities ofrelaxation and entertainment. The
farmer and bis family, occupied steadily in the
humdrum life of the farm, where there are
few excitemeDts, demand it and need it more
than any one else. Fair time is fixed Just
when the hardest work of the year is over and
it is the sole holiday time for many in the
whole year. The farmer wants a good time
and has right to have it.
The last county fair was poor show, agri-
culturally considered. Some of the exhibition
halls had but small display and some of them
were empty. In cattle a few choice herds, in
sheep few choice fiocks, in swine few pens
of fine herds, in poultry half empty house.
And yet there was large attendance, drawn
by horse show and races, balloon ascension
and lion tanner, but more than all, for chance
to get together and entertain each other.
The meaning of it is that the people demand
amusement, and are willing to pay the fakirs
with their cheap shows for such amusements.
More should be added and greater comforts
provided. The crowds looked tired and jaded
because there were so few places to sit down
and rest. There ought to be many benches
scattered about the grounds. There should be
chance for family or neighborhood picnics.
The social feature is, after all, the most attrac-
tive. The American people are changing from
the old-time seriousness and want relaxation.
They need 1t, and the more entertaining the
county fair can be made, the more successful.
And it need abandon no educational feature or
instructive farm competition to do this.
AT THE annual meeting of the Board of Trade
of Baltimore city, held on Monday, officers
for the ensuing year were elected as follows:
President-Robert Ramsay; vice-presidents-
Thornton Rollins John M. Nelson, Francis e.
Waters and VIM. Cunningham; treasurer
William B. Wilson; secretary-William H.
Love; directors-Samuel Eccles, Jr., Walter
B. Brooks, David Hutzler. E. Stanley Gary, C.
Morton Stewart, Jr., ]. B. Ramsey. E. B.
Hunting, G. G. Macgill, Franklin P. Gator,
Eugene lowering, Jr., Daniel @. Ammidon,
Blanchard Randall, Charles A. Webb. Nor
man James, Joseph R. Foard, William B.
Hurst. Theo. g. Lurman, Henry G. Hilken,
John w. Hanson, Reuben Foster, Douglas II.
Duer, Frank Baily, Waldo Newcomer and R.
Brent Keyser.
AT THE meeting in Chicago this week of the
National Association of Agricultural Imple-
ment and Vehicle Manufacturers one of the
chief subjects considered was the growing
scarcity of hickory timber. 1t was said that
at the present rate of consumption the supply
of hickory will be exhausted in few years.
THE FLoURIsH1NG little city of Havre-de-
Grace has just been treated to handsome new
station building by the Philadelphia, Balti-
more and Washington Railroad at cost of
about 900. It is of brick and stone con-
struction and is 70 by "a feet, equipped with
all modern improvements.
THE REGISTRATION of voters in Baltimore city
was completed on Wednesday. The total
number of voters registered is LOG, 021, of which
So, 567 are white and 1884 colored. These
figures show a considerable falling off as COM
pared with last years registration.
Mr.. MICHAEL JENKINS, one of Baltimore
city's leading financiers, has been elected pres
ident of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Com
pany. He had been director of the company
since its organization in 1889.
SEVEN PERSONS died in Kentucky last week
from eating toadstools which they mistook for
mushrooms An entire family of five persons
was poisoned but by prompt treatment their
lives were saved.
WITH HER 50pound watermelons and 16-foot
cornstalks it must be admitted that the new
State of Oklahoma is making good in most
substantial and picturesque way.