The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-10-04

| year, but as TO grandeur Of our eXhib- |
its, how well the fair was conducted,
etc, and how successful our board
has been, we leave to the patrons to
commend or condemn. Il think they
have been successfully
| But to be entirely successful the f.
nancial end must be satisfactory. This
matter can and in my judgment should
be looked after another year so as to
remedy some conditions. For instance
in the matter of membership tickets,
privileges given to exhibitors, revi-
sion of premium catalogue, ground
rules, etc, these are among the things
that l simply suggest that you may
study conditions and be able to realize
where we are at.
Do not understand me that in max
ing these suggestions that censure
the board of directors or anyone else.
Some of these things were discussed
by the board, but from the fact that
a large number of membership tickets
were sold last year after the fair to
help pay the deficit of last year, with
pledge of five admissions had to be
carried out and continued through
this meeting, as to prem ums
the board and committee on pre-
miums discussed this matter pret-
ty thoroughly and finally decided that
under the past and now existing cir
cumstances some inducements must
be offered to get people to exhibit,
hence the plan adopted.
But | believe that another year
these inducements will not be nee
essary, or at least of this society ex-
poets to exist and hold annual meet
ings should not and cannot exist. be- /
lieve the patrons and jublic in general |
will agree with me in this when it is |
understood
1 will give you one illustration, but
there are many similar, and in fact /
all premiums are awarded under the |
same rule:
A man buys membership ticket |
than his moneys worth, is given adj !
mission for his help, and walks away
with $101 in premiums. No censure
to the exhibitor or anyone else, but do
you or the public think for minute |
that the financial conditions will be |
satisfactory under these and similar |
circumstances? think not. The pub |
lie ought to and l think will be reas-
enable in this regard when once they
have knowledge and confidence in the |
society, confidence, / think, may be |
gained by each member of the society
studying all conditions and making
known to the public the exact situa-
tion, having no secrets in regard to
any and all business transactions.
One other thing | wish to speak of |
and then / am through. That is the |
erroneous ideas and expressions that
are made by some people. For in
stance, the report of some newspap
ers, which, in my judgment, does not
tend to give the people confidence in
the society. In my readers in the |
county papers l endeavored to give to |
the public just those things as l saw |
them and the things that | thought |
would arouse interest, and at the be-
ginning of the fair | ceased to write |
articles for papers. But an article |
appeared in one of the papers, with
large headlines stating that $4,000 peo-
pie had visited the fair on Thursday
and many people Immediately COM
menced to say the society will make
and have made barrel of money, |
when the fact is, and. if necessary,
many affidavits may be procured to
the effect, that this is in excess of
the total attendance for the three days
of the fair
Now, in conclusion, let me say, as
to myself as your secretary, / have
at all times felt and still feel my dis
qualification and unworthiness as to
the responsible position of secretary
of this society, yet having accepted the
position / have endeavored to do my
duty as / saw it. l have said and done
many things / should not have said
or done, and there are many things
that ] should have done and said that
| did not do or say, but is it any won
der, when you think of the countless
number of annoying things that come
to the secretary in the very busiest
time of the year, during the fair, that
he loses his head. / sometimes won
der how he ever returns to anything
like his normal condition.
But let those things be as they may,
l have done the very best l could.
my conscience is clear, no hard feel
ings toward anyone, no harsh words
for anyone, / trust you will have a