The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1910-12-30
A Different Proposition.

AAtHe " liz AttAAAAHFNt AfNftsN = etAA AOAA
vinces US that the enterprise has beer
established with a very sound policy
one which affords very little chance fol
the criticism usually associated with in.
situations under State control
It is noted that considerable amount
of comment has been made concerning
the State ownership and control Of the
fair. The Commercial has doubted the
wisdom OF the movement, but there are
some good features connected with il
which are not altogether understood.
In the first place Davidson County do
mated the land, valuable tract, pro-
viding the State would take charge and
conduct the fair for two years. OF
course the State will be asked for an
appropriation for Improvements, but
the objections we offered related prin-
cipally TO the political side Of the ques-
tion-that the operation OF the fair
would increase the political muddle
which has upset the State for some
time. The fact OF the business is that
great deal OF care has already been
taken to separate the fair from politics
altogether. Several bills we're intro
duced with reference to the manage
ment Of the fair and none OF them
were satisfactory until the one now in
force was offered This bill provides
for board of commissioners, who elect
their own successors. 1t is made up of
twelve members, four Of whom are re-
tired each year and their successors
elected by the remaining eight 1t can,
therefore, be seen that the principal
objection to State ownership is removed
so far as the present policy is concerned,
and il the fair is continued under this
plan it cannot be made football for
politics As il stands neither the Gov
ernor nor the Legislature has anything
to do with the management or the APP
pointment Of the management.
Under these conditions II majority
Of the people Of Tennessee desire the
State Fair to be owned and controlled
by the State we see no very serious OBJ
iections. Il is just simply matter of
whether or not it will pay the State to
go into the business. Tennessee needs
to encourage the fine stock, sheep, hogs,
cattle and poultry industry, and the cul-
ture will bring us a large return, but
whether it Will be sufficient to justify
the expenditure attendant upon State
fair is another question. 1t is to be
presumed that the State Fair will be
self sustaining SO far as the running
expenses and receipts are concerned.
These two items have SO far about bal
anced. But the improvements, OF i
course, will in all probability be an {
expense to the State, and something {
will be needed as long as the fair is con- {
Quoted. /
So far all these things are reasonably a
kentucky has her State Fair.
Other States have their fairs, And SO
long as Tennessee conducts her fair as
she proposes to conduct it SO good. But
the minute that the boodler or the pol v
itician shows his head in the conduct OF o
the Tennessee Fair right then the peo- h
pie should demand its adjustment v
Some people might think that on ac- u
count Of Tennessee's physical proper y
lions instead OF appropriating means a.
Tor one State fair she should institute I
0ne fair for each grand division of the y
State after the plan adopted for the q
State Normal schools. 1t does not oc- ID
,ur to us that way. Transportation is y
llways cheap about fair times and those y
Who really want to go will take very .
title exception to the distance, other ~
advantages being 50 much better at the -
Capital, besides the probabilities OF y
rery much larger and better fair In =
,ur opinion Tennessee did not need the =
hree normal schools. She could have o.
enlarged the school at Nashville, If -
necessary, and increased its standards w
# excellence and efficiency ten fold at q
en- times less the cost and trouble that ~
he three schools will be. 1t is not the :"
distance of fifty or an hundred miles a
hat keeps people away from the fairs ~
II schools. 1t is the incapacity or inef- "a
ciency Of either institution, and with
ne State normal Tennessee could have %
ad a school with the highest reputa- ~
ion with minimum Of opportunities -
1r political jobs, while the three may -
ring all sorts Of political tangles. ~
When the legislators get to Nashville =
lev should seriously consider what the an