The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-14

the South Carolina Live Stock asso-
citation in Columbia recently, w. ID.
Byrd of Laurens. former president Of
the association, said:
The county fair is an aid to better
live stock will depend, gentlemen, in
my opinion, largely on the style Of fair
you have. One OF a carnival nature
will detract, to a great extent, the
purpose of your fair--better live
stock. The young minds are easily
attracted and impressed with some
side shows. ball thrower. sleight- of
hand trick or balloon ascension, 60
ing home with the things that i'm
press them most on their minds
never thinking for q moment Of that
beautiful colt. the comparison of the
dairy calf with the beef type, or the
kind of chicken he or she would like
best. Some of the older minds would
be attracted by a running or trotting
race, or both. which would excite
them up to a pitch that they would
hardly remember seeing colt. a pig
or calf at the fair.
Now. gentle men, commenting a lit
tie on horse racing. I will ask what
is there In q horse race, what Is to be
learned. what is to be improved, what
Is TO be gained? And l claim a coun-
ty fair can not afford to have racing
from a financial view. 1t Is a ques-
tion how 10 finance a county fair, at
best. To build a race track and 20
give prizes too will! take a large part
OF your income, leaving small prize,
for other departments Of yo fair
Put up a small prize and what 10 you
have? A scrub race--a man with a
good horse does not care to run him
for nothing: therefore, you haven't
much attraction at the race track.
Now, was told by quite a number
OF people when 1 was working for
our first fair. 1 could not have a coun-
/ ~ fair without horse races. My re-
ply to them was, Gentlemen, IL it
takes horse racing to make a county
fair. then we will have failure"
And / am proud to tefl. gentlemen
that we have held three in our coun-
ty and each one has increased in at
tendance, entries. interest and en-
thusiasm. and no horse races yet.
And i am Furthermore proud to say
that we have proven. beyond a
question, that you can hold a sue
cessful fair without the least at
traction of any kind outside of the
main issue-live stock and agricul-
ture.
men, a county fair promoted for the
welfare and betterment of the coun-
~ will be incentive to better live
stork. Now. take "a county fair with
nothing to detract from live stock
and agriculture and you will draw
the minds to the points desired -
some boy or farmer will be attrac-
ed by the colt show. some girl or
farmers wife will be attracted by
the poultry show and when you get
them interested they will then OBJ
serve more closely the prize win
ncrs.
And now. Mr.. President. comes the
responsibility of the county fair to
have competent and unbiased judges
that they may place the ribbons
where they justly belong. which. by
so doing discards from their minds
the harrowncss OF thinking the rib
Don was placed on the man and not
the colt. Then. too. we want TO give
them type to- work to---would have
the judge to be able to define the diff
terence I'm two close contests. explain
ing why he placed the ribbon where
he did.
Now. gentlemen. you are getting
the farmer interested. you are teach
ing him something. lie sees what
some other farmer i'm the county is
doing. Hc goes home-not thinking
about that slcight- of hand trick.
some particular sideshow, that thrill
Ing event of u man jumping from
MS balloon l,OOO feet in the air and
landing safcly on the ground by the
aid ct his parachute. or the SIS ia