River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-06-14
River Falls Fifth
Annual Stock Show
Finest Exhibit of Livestock Ever
Show in Western WiscOnsin-Rain
and Absence of Two Judges Inter-
fere With Program.

Despite the war and inclement
weather conditions, the farmers last
Thursday brought their stock, in some
cases ten miles through mud and rain
With such interest and cooperation on
the part of the farmers it is discour-
aging that more comfortable quarters
and more generous rewards can not
be offered them. Of course we realize
that the farmer gets the initial bene-
fit as a result of direct advertising
of his stock, but on the other hand
good stock in this community also
means much to the business men and
to the Normal school. 1t must not
be forgotten that prosperity and pro-
gress can not be limited to any one
class of individuals. If the farmers
of this community are prosperous the
barber, baker and blacksmith will
share to some extent in that prosper
ity.
For example: Just think of what the
dairy industry has done for Wisconsin.
Where would this community stand
socially and financially were it not
for our dairy stock. While we can
cite you many examples of direct sales
of pure-bred stock as a result of a
previous show, we can point to enor-
nous increase in bank deposits in this
town as direct result of the dairy
industry. Just one institution alone in
this town, the River Falls Corpora
tive Creamery company will in all like
lihood pay out about $175,OOO in cream
checks this year. It is hardly neces-
sary to dwell at length on these bene-
fits, great as they are. But if you
think that this stock industry does not
benefit you directly or indirectly it is
because you have not tried very hard
to understand your relation to your
own community.
But big as the financial returns are
there are even greater benefits which
are generally overlooked. A thrifty
community means an intelligent class
of people. Compare any prosperous
rural district with a prosperous one
and you will find this to be generally
oning you will agree that public in
terest in better stock results in direct
improvement and in an increase of
pure-bred animals. More and better
stock means more prosperous COM
munity,-a prosperous community
means better citizens and especially
better boys and girls. This is the
main reason why the Agricultural
School is interested in crop and stock
improvement, not that it thinks less of
corn and dairy COWS but more of the
boys and girls, for better corn and
better dairy COWS means ultimately
better boys and better girls.
Our stock show has grown to be a
l2rge institution, so large that if it is
to exist it must have wider range Of
support. "A banker one or two bust
ness men, couple of teachers, and a
handful of farmers can not continue
to put this over unless some others
join to help us. We need one man
who can devote all of his time for at
least one week to the show, and not
one who is doing two other jobs at
the same time. But as it is, had not
the weather and the absence of the
judges disarranged the program, ev-
erything could have gone according to
schedule. Even ct that the primary
object for which the show was estab-
lished was obtained, namely: the
showing of the finest line of beef and
dairy stock in Western Wisconsin. The
auction did not materialize because no
stock was offered for public auction.
Opportunity for private sales were Of
fered, but whether or not any sales
were affected we are unable to say. In
connection with this we wish to state
that The Marathon County Advance
ment association instead of offering
their own stuff for sale, makes it it's
business to import stock in compare
lively large numbers which is sold at
public auction. I am told that this is
done several times year and that
these sales at Wausau, Wisconsin, are
always looked forward to and largely
attended. Those fellows are long
headed, they know their business, and
l do not believe that they are ready to
quit simply because the governor or
Legislature can not give them any fl
nancial aid. Brown and Manitowoc
counties are doing community stock
work along 2 somewhat similar line.
No doubt there are number of others
concerning which we know nothing.
Now when we have a good start in
this community stock work shall we
lay down. Now is the critical time,
If the farmers, businessmen and Nor
NAL school want this show, to get
together. We can not have a success
full show on three weeks notice and
then let out all the work to two or
three committees, none of which knows
what the others are doing and bring
about successful elimination of their
efforts.
The first thing we need is a perma-
nent location with proper shelter and