Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-08-18
The Moral Conduct of Fairs.

II
ocrst. Paris. Ne.
The Moral Conduct of Fairs.
Letter sent to fair managers throughout the
| state)
am calling the attention Of Agricul-
tural Societies 10 sections IA, 10, 10, IL
and % of Chapter 90 Of the Revised
Statutes of Maine.
Sec. IA. (As amended by Z. l.. 1909,
lc. 95) There shall be appropriated an-
lnually from the state treasury a sum OF
money not exceeding two cents to each
Iinhabltant of the state, which shall be
divided among the legally Incorporated
agricultural societies Of the state not
provided for by special enactment, ac-
cordiug to the amount Of premiums and
gratuiiies actually paid In full by said
societies, provided, that the stipend shall
be based entirely upon the premiu ms and
grstuities actually paid in full on exhi-
bition stocks and products, and provided,
that no society shall receive from the
state a sum greater than that actually
raised and paid by the society for said
purpose; provided, also, that each of the
said societies, and all agricultural socie-
ties receiving aid from the state by spe.
cial act of the legislature, shall cause the
prohibitory liquor law to be enforced on
all grounds over which they have con-
troll, and not allow immoral shows, gam
bling in any form or games OF chance on
said grounds.
Sec. Is. (As amended by P. l.. 1909,
c. 95) No payment of any state aid,
whether made under the provisions OF
section fourteen of chapter sixty OF the
revised stat utes and amendments thereto
or by special appropriation, shall be
made to any society until the treasurer
thereof files with the treasurer OF state q
certificate on oath stating the amount
raised by it and containing the specifica-
tions required in section nineteen; and
also certificate from the commissioner
of agriculture that he has examined into
the claim of said society; that in his
opinion il has complied with the provis-
ions of sections nineteen and twenty and
with the following section; that there has
been awarded and paid by said society as
premiums and gratuities a sum at least
equal to the amount apportioned to said
society, and that the provisions in re-
gard to immoral shows, gambling and
the sale of Intoxicating liquors have been
strictly complied with.
In case of any complaint in writing,
signed by the complainant, OF the viola
ton of any of the provisions OF this
chapter relating to the payment OF state
aid in any form TO agricultural societies,
the commissioner of agriculture may in
yes,igate such alleged violation, and is
hereby authorized 10 employ such agents
and counsel as may be necessary to aid
him in such investigation, and the ex-
peuse incurred shall be paid out OF the
general appropriation for aid of agricui-
tural societies, except that In any case
where il has been found upon such In
vestigation that the society against which
complaint has been made has violated
the provisions of chapter sixty OF the re-
yised statutes, the expense OF such inves-
tigation shall be paid from the amount
that would otherwise have been paid to
said society; provided, further, that ii the
society against which the complaint Is
made receives it's aid by special enact
ment, then the expense of the investiga-
tiou shall be paid from the said appro-
priation for such society.
Sec. 10. No state stipend shall be paid
to any agricultural society Offering or
paving premiums on grade males; the
commissioner of agriculture may make
this a part of the sworn return to be
made by the proper officers Of all agri-
cultural societies; provided that evil
dence as TO eligibility TO registration be
accepted as satisfactory proof of purity
of blood.
Sec. II. (As amended by Resolves OF
1907, C. 1852 The payment OF the annual
appropriations TO the state fairs and the
payment of the state stipend to all other
agricultural societies receiving three
hundred dollar stipend or more shall be
conditional upon the use of the score
card system in the judging of dairy
products. A copy of each score card as
filled BY the judge shall be delivered to
the exhibitor of each exhibit.
Sec. %. The officers of any such soci-
ety may appoint a sufficient number OF
suitable persons, to act as constables at
| cattle shows and exhibitions, with all
the powers Of coustsbles for the preser-
walton of the public peace, aud the en-
| forcemeut of the regulations OF said
society, within the towns where such
shows and exhibitions are held, from
noon of the day preceding the COM
mencement of the same until noon OF
the day succeeding the termination
thereof, and no longer.
invite particular attention to those
provisions that exclude Intoxicating
liquors, immoral shows, gambling in any
form and games of chance from the
grounds of such societies. The penalty
proyided for violation of these laws 10
| the loss OF the stipend from the state.
recommend that fair officials allow
no game nor any show upon their
grounds until they have secured from the
owner or manager written guaranty
/ that such game OF show is not in viola
| lion of the laws of the state, with good
sureties or financial security sufficient
TO protect their society. OF course such
guaranty need not be demanded of par
ties who are known TO be all right.
| 1t is desirable that fair officials should
| not only police their grounds properly,
but that they should have violators of
| the law brought into court and officials
should be prepared to furnish evidence
against such violators.
The state pays out of it's treasury an
nually nearly $50, 900 to promote the
advancement of the agricultural inter
eats of the state through public exhi-
billions. II is proper to say that this
Department, as it is in duty bound to do,
is watching the trend Of development
among fairs with anxious desire that
their managers will always have in view
the great object for which those organi-
zations were created.
Recognizing the fact that fair officials
put in much of their time and ability In
Il Of tho auccasa of fhair