The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-09-09
THE CHEAPEST WAY OUT

The officers and directors of the La
tab County Fair association find them
selves, it appears, in much the sam
predicament in which managers o
fairs and similar enterprises are al
ways finding themselves the countr,
over. 1t is the same story year afte
year and in place after place; thu
people of the county or state want
good, live fair with every known fea
ture that will contribute to the amuse
ment of the public and nobody wants
to pay the necessary charges.
There is lot of expense connected
with conducting a successful fair that
the average person perhaps fails to
take into account. There is property
to purchase and to maintain in prime
condition at a great cost. There are
program features to be paid for And
there are numerous other items of
expense that make a fairly large sup
ply of cash absolutely indispensable
to the fair management
Gate receipts from year to year
never cover the expenses. Neither do
the sums derived from renting con-
cessions to exhibitors and show men
nor do any other sources of income.
No matter how skilfully the funds are
conserved and disbursed, it is a rare
experience for fair directors to find
themselves able to make both ends
meet.
Everybody agrees that we must have
a fair in Latah county and that the
annual event which has been a mat
ter of such honest pride should be
kept up to the accustomed high
standards. But not everybody is
agreed as to the way in which the
deficits should be overcome.
Of course, there is the always sim
pie expedient of soliciting from the
business men along Main street; but |
this is imposing a burden rnjustly |
upon merchants who should not by |
rights pay for the weeks pleasure of
thousands of persons.
There is a much simpler way to re-
duce the deficit and that is by re-
trenchment in the matter of issuing
passes to the fair grounds.
We are not in possession of the Of
fetal figures recounting the really
number of passes issued
in former years. We can not Dut be-
lieve-at least we want to believe
that the number of passes we have
heard about has been grossly exag-
gerated. 1t seems incredible that SO
many persons should have felt them
selves entitled to complimentary sea-
son tickets. or that managers should
have issued them on the basis upon
which we have heard many were
issued. We think that the occasions
'or granting free admission might aq-
be much more restricted.
We are led to understand that II
every person who got pass last
year had been refused one, there I
would have been no deficit; and that {
f no passes are issued this year ]
here will be no financial embarrass-
nent.
Let us cite a few instances OF {
,laces where economy might be prac-
iced. Mr. P. D. @. brings his veg !
tables to exhibit and to compete Tor
! prize or he brings his horses, his
.ows, his pigs, his fruits, his grains t
lnything and everything he grows i
Ir. P. D. @. should buy season tic
,et So much manifestation OF pub {
ic spirit should be expected OF him. t
Mr.. q. x. Y. has consented to Judge :
f live stock, of babies, of grasses, OF
,eans. of apples, or of races. Mr.
!. x. Y. should buy his season ticket {
nd not receive a gratuitious admis- c
ion privilege. /
Mrs. L. M. N. has baby that she +
rants Judged. She should pay an ad- +
,ission fee to enter the gates. Mrs. e
p. G. has painted china pepper y
OK or copied one Of poor Gibson's i