The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-11-26

slderaDly, ana II Is our opinion that TINS
is false impression. In the first place
we want to state that the premiums
given by the West Tennessee Fair Assoc
citation for live stock, poultry, products,
ETC., are larger than many of the fair
associations in the same circuit and as
large as any in the circuit. Therefore
that cannot be a reasonable complaint.
On the other hand no fair association
can afford to pay small purses for pac-
ing and trotting events. AT any of the
fairs north OF us twice, three and four
times the amount in purses is paid in
speed events, but these amounts are re-
Enumerated to the associations in entry
fees by the owners of the horses. We
take issue with some when it comes to
making a race track meeting strictly OF
a county fair, but every fair association
must have, to be successful, good trot-
ting and pacing, and the purses must be
liberal enough to attract the owners OF
good horses. We need better horses in
Obion County, and the offering of suf-
ficient inducements at our fairs is an
incentive to import better stock. More
than that, the trotting and pacing
events are the principal features of our
fairs, and they should not be sacrificed
for things of less value and importance.
In other words, a good horse is the first
in Importance to the farmer or to the
citizen generally, and the relation of
the horse to the county fair is insep-
arabic. 1t would certainly be great
risk to the life of the fair to curtail the
trotting and pacing events. These
events were given prominence at our
fall meeting this year and they proved
the turning point in the success of the
fair, for it is stated generally that the
last was the best meeting ever held by
the West Tennessee Fair Association.
So much for the horses, but what about
the premiums on live stock and agri-
cultural products, etc. If the exhibitor
will stop and consider the matter for
awhile, he could not by any sort of
reasonable hypothesis come to the con-
clusion that our fair association can af-
ford to pay him enough in premiums
to remunerate him alone for coming to
town, paying his board and lodging and
the expense of installing and taking
care of his exhibit This is not the
purpose nor the intent of the associa-
ton, and no association can operate
successfully on that basis. The county
fair association is organized primarily
to promote the culture of better stock
and better produce; in the next place
it is instituted for the purpose of afford
ing the stockman, the farmer and the
mechanic an opportunity to make a
proper exhibit of his product in order
that he may facilitate the exchange and
increase and strengthen the sale of his
commodities. There is more real value
in the exhibit from a speculative stand
point than in all the premiums he can
get, and no one who will give the mat
ter mature thought can reasonably ex
pect anything else. Besides there is
another thought that we must not over
look. 1t gives the citizens of the same
county chance to meet and compare
their stock and produce and to confer
upon the different methods of enhanc-
ing the propagation and value of same.
One other, and one of the greatest
features of the fair, is that it gives the
citizens chance to come together once
year in friendly and social converse,
thus promoting and strengthening the
social and civic life of the county.
This is in a nutshell the county fair
as we see it.
So with all these things before us the
stockholders last Tuesday, each one who
was present, pledged his best efforts in
the meeting to be held next fall to make
the fair better success. Everyone vol
unteered to put his shoulder to the
wheel and all pull together.
We need first school day, just as we
have got it, the next day should be a
Homecoming day to all those who are
watching us in the home papers, es-
pecially the non-residents who are inter
ested in Union City and her people.
We need little more comfort in the
way of protection from the sun at the
grandstands. We need to have the
small ring closer to the grandstands, so
that everyone can see the events plainly
We need the streets SDrinkled on dusty