The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-06
TH|NGSGENERALLY,
FAIRS ESPECIALLY
County Fairs Are Great
Educators Of the
People.
ONE WANTED IN
EVERY COUNTY
They Are Eye-openers Worth
Having-Social Features Of
the Fairs Are Worth All
They Cost-Great Dis
plays Of What People
Are Doing.
BY FRANK $. wooDsoN,
Industrial Editor.

BY FRANK s. wooDsoN,
Industrial Editor.
| During the past week have had
little time to look over the Virginia
agricultural and Industrial field. ana
a right cheering scene cant be-
fore me. If remember arigh, have
had something to say in Thu tll,mp
In advocacy of county fairs, aaybes
have expressed the hop ut in
the near future every couli in the
State will pull off a fair. If have not
already done It I want to do 1t now
Ever since the new Constitution
went into effect there have been many
people to grieve over the fact that the
old county court was abolished by thu
new Constitution, and am inclined to
think that II the makers of that Con-
stltution had realized the value in GER
tain ways of the old county court sys-
tenn they would not have abolished 1t.
Away Back Yonder.
The old county court did not amount
to very much sa court, and It must
be said that some mighty cheap judges
presided over the same. and 1t may ba
that many cases that came before said
judges were badly decided. but the
county court sessions afforded kind
of gathering day for the folks In the
100 counties of the old State. and 90
per cent. of them did not care con-
tinental cuss as to what was going on
In the courthouse. The charming virtue
of county court day was that the peo-
pie got together once a month to swap
horses. to swap news, to swap opinions
on public question. to get better ac-
quainted one with the other, and in a
general way to confer as to the good
OF the order" The people miss the
old county court day. and ever since
the new Constitution went into effect
| they have been looking for something
to take it's place. The monthly meet
ing of the county boards OF supervisors
makes partial remedy. but it is not
| much OF q remedy.
The Country Way.
Virginia civilization Is based on
kind OF brotherhood feeling, and the
thing that Is needed to keep up this
brotherly feeling Is a time and a place
when and where the folks can get to-
gether and shake hands and gossip and
tell neighborhood news and all that
kind of thing. am talking now about
country folks. In the cities folks can
meet in their business offices, at the
Chamber of Commerce rooms, In the
clubs. or almost any old place, and
they can make engagements for sucn
meetings by telephone and get to-
sether In short order, but In the coun-
Try 1t is different. and there, as in the
city. 1t is very needful that the people
shall come together every now and
then and discuss matters pertatning to
the good of the country.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Is Essential.
ne Baptist Church in Virginia is
great institution. Other denominations
sometimes laugh at the Baptists and
say that they have no church govern.
nent: and that is true in a sense. They
nave no central government-every
little country or city church is gov
srnment unto itself: pure democracy
-but all the same the Baptists are
he most homogeneous people In the
world. and they cling closer together.
solks. and I reckon they do more in
he mission fields than some other
churches that boast OF their so-called
better central government, but they
10 1t in democratic way. The dis
rict associations of the Baptists is
heir lever OF power In Virginia and
II other Southern States. Once year
hese people get together and swap
hurch notes and social notes The q s.
riot association does not do anything
hat is binding on the local churches,
nut the mingling of the people OF the
'apttst Church, and the swapping OF
otes and news and gossip if YOU
lease. helps wonderfully in bringing
hese folks close together. and in one
;ny and ant ther puts them In better
rim to do the Masters work. I think
speak advisedly on this subject, for
am one OF these Baptists. one of the
pea Ridge" variety. ii you please.
Applied to Business
Now. let's apply this principal to
le people In general. They must in
ome way get together and swan notes.
$ before stated, the old county court
stem brought the men together all
ght, but the women and the children
1nf rISt I, n *. IL
ith the county fairo Certainly that
III at least once year fetch all the
eople together, and the county fair
as a tendency to let all the people s5
the county know just what all the
her people In the same county are
ing IN an agricultural and Industrial
ay. AS a general proposition, am
clined to think that a county fair
eld once year is worth great
al more along the lines above sue- e
'sted than county court held much
tener. And then. too. the gaps could
Well filled up by the Methodist
'artefly conferences, the Episcopal
osean meetings. the Presbyterian
esb9yteries, the Holy Jumpers, camp
setlngs. the Baptist associations and
or me reVival meetings OF the
rious denominations. or any other
nas 81 meetings that will bring the
ople together for conference and
the swappins Of news. Anything In
@ world that brings the folks to-
ther for conference and for the gem
al discussion OF matters. religious.
ucational. financial, agricultural, In
strial and otherwise, is a good thing.
g more OF such meetings we have
the country the better, and probably.
county or a district or community
u Is one of thesbest ofsall of these
fractions TO bring the folks to-
Their. sSsSl
One Hundred County Fairs.
am advocaeifg q county fair In
CONTINUED on Third PaSe,A