The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-05-23
FAIR POTENT FACTOR
AS DEVELOPER OF NORTHWEST

"Do not overlook the county fairs.
They form the pivot in the Develop
ment of the northwestern states ag-
riculturally. They are the great clear
ing houses for the big land products
and live stock shows as well as all
state fairs"
This Is the keynote which Louis w.
Hill, president of the Great North
ern railway has sounded and which
will be taken up with a vim when
the Northwest Development league
meets in Seattle in June. Among
the benefits to be derived from the
county fairs OF the seven northwest
ern states, MI. Hill sums up epigram-
matically, as follows:
Il. They start many persons ex-
hibiting who would never think OF
making exhibits at the state fair.
20. They bring the fair sufficiently
near SO that all ma attend.
80. They educate the farmers in at
tendance along the lines Of their own
greatest needs.
"a. They stimulate effort in the
direction of highest excellence.
IS. Then tend greatly to the build
lu& up VA III SbdIS GA > 8ObA "a A~S6AA
to attendance and exhibits. Because
Of these benefits the small fair is well
worthy Of the support of the state
and of all actively engaged in bust
ness in the communities in which they
are held" Mr.. Hill further says:
"one reason why farmers do not
exhibit at a state or other large fair
is the apparent hopelessness n eve
winning a prize. because of the ex-
tent of the competition. coming as it
| does from so wide an area, but when
the area is limited as 1t would be in
the case of a county fair or ven Of
a fair more local than a county fair,
the farmer feels that he is competing
against one of his own class, and.
therefore. when he is possessor of a
product that he believes to be super
ior, he is encouraged to exhibit the
same. This he can do with little or
no expense in placing the h arti-
Gle on exhibition, hence IL he does
not win he does not feel the pinch
| of financial loss as he wou had ne
exhibited at the state fair. In this
| way hundreds and thousands would
be led to exhibit who never would
| have done so but for the opportunity
| to exhibit at the small fair.
nThe location OF the smaller fair
makes it easily possible for many a
farmer to attend, who may not be
able. in the meantime, to afford the
expense incurred in j~ourneying to the
state fair and Of maintenance while
there. Such men are content in the
absence of the smaller fair to stay
at home and therefore they miss the
BENEFITS in educational lines that fairs
furnish so effectively by way OF ocu-
lar demonstration. He is encouraged
to go to the smaller fair because he
knows many OF his acquaintance
will be there whom he can meet and
he has friends in the town who arr
glad to care for him, it may be, dur
ing his stay at the fair.
sSuch fairs are highly educational
ais indeed all fairs are. The farmer
may have concluded that q certain
product which ne grows Is about al
good as can be produced with tina
line. As long ais he stays at HON,
he becomes no wiser with reference
to SHORTCOMINGS in his work. WheI
he goes to the fair and puts tina
product on exhibition, he finds to hi
astonishment that half q dozen other
are ahead Of him IN the competition
He Ii naturally anxious to know tn
reason why, and lin this way he come
to see imperfecttons Ia his method