Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-07-28
SUPPORT YOUR COUNTY FAIR.

- associations had fine grounds, pur
chased when land was cheap, anc
r. more or less completely equipped TO-
the purposes of the fair. Farmer!
regarded ii as their annual picnic
and attended with SAMPLES of theil
crops, their live stock and their do.
nestle industries, not so much fol
the pride of winning as for the pur.
pose OF getting together and learn
ing from each other, says Wallaces
Farmer.
Gradually these fairs began to de-
cline. AS far as we could observe,
the farmers themselves were large
ly to blame for this. The fair officials
were elected, as they naturally
would be, in the county seat. The
citizens of the county seat were al
ways and easily on hand at the an
nual election, and just as naturally
selected from those present men to
conduct the fair. Some of them
were breeders of fast horses, for
horse breeding was greatly in vogue
In those times, and frequently the
fair degenerated into a horse trot.
The farmers became disguised, many
OF them refusing to attend, with the
result that the question of finances
became an important one, and many
of the fairs admitted side shows of
rather questionable character, sim.
ply because these were willing to pay
the price. More and more farmers
refused to attend, because of the
demoralizing influence on their chill
dren; and hence the county fair fell
largely into disrepute.
Here and there you will find a
county fair which has maintained its
usefulness; but so far as we can see
it is only where it is conducted ac-
cording to the best code of morals,
disgusting side shows prohibited, and
their managers trusted the farmers
to furnish the stock, the attendance
and the funds. In other shows the
state law prohibiting gambling was
allowed to become a dead letter, and
this in itself tended to seal the
death sentence of the county fairs
that were willing to violate law for
the sake of the one hundred dollars
which the state gave for the encour
agement of agriculture.
Then there was another influence
The state fairs began to grow in
magnitude, Importance and interest.
Farmers made up their minds that
the thing worth seeing was the state
fair, where the best the state and
the nearby states could afford in
| the way of live stock would be ex-
hibited, where crowds gathered and
they could see not only their friends
from their own county, but meet
people from all over the state. Then
came on the great international
stock shows, which also took the
attention. OF the farmer from his
county fair.
1t is time now for the tide to turn
and the county fair be restored not
only to its old, but far more than
its former sphere of influence. TO
make it real success, however, it
must be kept free from all kinds Of
gambling devices, questionable
shows and amusements and all kinds
Of fake enterprises. 1t must be a
place where farmers can compete
with each other, and not with the
world. Nothing will kill a county
fair quicker than to offer prizes for
travelling herds. Farmers are not
willing to go up against these show
herds, and should not be asked to
do SO. If we were running a coun-
ty fair, we would not allow anything
to compete for prizes that had not
DCGu grow IL III the COunIy VI NdS uOI
owned in it, or in the district, if the
fair took in a district covering more
than one county. Manufacturers of
sorts Of farm implements or things
used about the farm or home
should, of course, be admitted free
ly and their exhibits invited, for they
are educational.
We will soon need the restoration
Of local herds of live stock and
there is nothing that will tend more
to awaken interest than an exhibit
of live stock comprised of but few
Breeds now they comprise many. In
former times there was no opportu-
nifty for exhibiting the best dairy
machinery, such as milking machin-
cry, etc. Now the best that can be
had can be exhibited at almost any
county fair. The great thing in the
county fair, however, is to get farm
ers in the county together, to know
n,