Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-11-03

agricultural fairs. The problem Of
every fair management is how to in
terest the people and draw them to
the exposition. Were it not so, horse
racing, as it is often practiced, would
be eliminated from most agricultural
fairs, for really it has but little in COM
mon with the farmer. All fair mana
gers know and feel this keenly and
yet if they are at all of the successful
kind they look to the speed program
knowing that it brings the dollars that
keep the institution alive and that
makes it possible to financially en-
courage the growing of better pump
kins, corn, stock, etc. That this should
be true seems strange and yet well
known facts are not to be disputed
and what one would like to see makes
very little difference with anyone lse,
and people will continue to go where
they can be amused, especially if
there is something of variety. :.
The ideal fair should be place
where the best in the land could be
seen and studied where comparisons
could be made, and where instruction
was handed out to those in search for
improved methods Of productions.
Many agricultural fairs approach this
ideal, and vet were amusements Who'll
ly eliminated there would be few to
avail themselves of the things to be
seen and learned and the purpose for
which the fair was held would signal
" miscarry. This is not meant for
criticism, for as We grow older we
have come to think that perhaps we
have taken life too seriously and thus
have missed much that should have
been ours Horse racing for instance,
interests us very little and in spite of
the fact that for months every fall we
have to follow fairs we do not see
one race year on the average; the
same with ball games and other sports
and yet if the witnessing of such
would enable the observer for an hour
to forget some unpleasant experience
or to lift the load from those that are
burdened with the cares of life, they
are not in vain. A, good hearty laugh
is better than a frown any time anc
anywhere, and it makes the world fa1
better. g, s.s ...l..
But in spite of all the efforts of thu
fair managers there is al sameness t.
agricultural fairs Pumpkins in Min
.nesota do not differ greatly from
pumpkins in Illinois; even among tn
live stock there is little difference al
q parent to the average visitor. Polan
y Chinas are black wherever you sc
them and Herefords have the prt
J, Verbial white face" Then too man
!. Z of the professional show herds are t
sa be 5seen. at all the leading fairs, an
! q looking them over day by dayz@fe
! months is a good deal like meetin
yonr neighbors daily at the postodic
But at Mandan there is no naonotol
Gus sameness; they have samethin
: different in every way. Here th
amusement features have been mad
the most of and the annual fair he
becomes an vent that attracts them al
farmers, ,townspeople, cowboys an
the Indians. it is a good time" jr
position from the opening to the clos
an eYent. that promotes laughter: an
good digestion and that arouses i
terest ia much that is and wi
be for ali time to come, a matter
history.
The Mandan people, witch true ives
en lfberality, do things right Whe
Sthey9 do: them at all. This fair
their pet institution and they gual
its welfare with Jealous care. He
r. the people for a radius of sometim'
hundred. miles, meet once ye
for a visit as we'll as for a good tim
No money is spared to make the wet
enjoyable to the visitors and this yea
at least, the people showed their a
I probation by being present in lar
numbers, most of them staying all t
week. s IL. s.: M.... 49, ,.
The Mandan fair is a relic pitch
\ on the divide. between the past a,
future and destined sooner or LAT
- to be tossed among other memento
of the past. No man at all impressit
able could view the exposition Il
year for instance, without realizil
and that very keenly, that conditio
are ever unstable. that all things &
feeting, and that changes are forey
at work, though we fail to not
most Of the time. Here the civil
tions of the past met and mingled W
that of the present: the jangle
the cowboys spurs was deadened
the swish Of silken garments: /
snorting Cow pony had to pick
way among costly automobiles and |
T. e. II. ~ a..