The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-02-18
SHALL BINGHAM COUNTY
BUY THE FAIR GROUNDS?
Certainly Not

THE matter of purchasing the fair
grounds, now owned by a private
corporation, by the county is no
doubt new subject for considera-
ton in Bingham county while it is
not so in a good many localities that
have tried it in the past.
In the opinion of the writer the
county would be making serious
mistake should such action be taken,
as what is nobody's business is every
body's business and visa versa. This
being an established fact the annual
| fair would be more of a joke than
success, because an expenditure of
money would not insure success. We
find at the present time no one doing
work for the county gratis. If we
serve on coroners jury we receive
payment for day if only one hour
witness in a trial we receive pay
for such services and If we hold any
office we are looking for days pay
and always get it. That is the rule
of the county management and it
could not be otherwise because citi-
zen and taxpayer alike are entitled
to the same consideration.
But, on the .otbar hand, when we
work for a county fair, the public
spirited man works for the good of
the community. He donates his time
and money to maize the celebration
success, because 95 per cent of all
fair associations are not interest pay
ing propositions. They are generally
assessment propositions to pay up
deficits that result on account of the
weather, or interference in attend
ance. This being the case what would
become of the aftermath If everybody
received pay for their services or the
work they did to help make the fair
success. The taxpayers would soon
be tired of higher taxes caused by
such drain. Could the people ex-
pect the county officers to get out
and rustic exhibits and get up pro-
grams of entertainment and manage
the fair? That would be foolish
idea. In the first place they may
not be men who take to work of that
nature. In the second place they are
not elected for that kind of work.
The duties they have taken oath to
| pei LII Ill lC VI oil CuIllOly
character. 1t would be pleasant to
contemplate, a glorious fair given by
the county, but sad to realize dis
NAL failure because of lack Of CO.
operation by the farmers and stock
men, and the variors other exhibit
ors.
1t requires a peculiar fitness to be-
come a good fair official and If the
present members of the board can
not make success of it, then sue
cess does not lie within the power
of any of us in this county. Having
spent eight years as a fair secretary,
observation has proven to me that
the present directors are men who
take unusual interest, spend more of
their time than the average, and dig
into their pockets many times when
the public at large know nothing
about it or realize how or where the
resources come from.
To make the fair success will
require united effort on the part Of
the people. The untiring efforts of
the directors will not insure success;
the purchase and management by
the county will not bring it; all the
talk and promise will fail to suffice;
there is only one thing that will at
tain the desired result and that is
cooperation.
1t will be well for the county still
to offer premiums for exhibits, to
stimulate and induce better products,
livestock, ETC., but to own and man
age the fair let the proposition be
put up to the people and If they will
not work few hours for nothing
for the good Of the community in
which they live and prize, then the
county owning the grounds would
not insure any greater success than
has already been attained.
L. J. CHAPMAN.