The commonwealth., 1922-09-01

Of pottagc called culture and took
of the bargain.-I;y John G. Van
Albany, \. ", there was Il prosper
believed that such an enterprise
would encourage farming and manu-
featuring and help business. He used .
his influence with the state legisla
ture, and that body appropriated .
$4,000 yearly, for six years, for |
premiums on agricultural products /
and family manufactures.
Since then annual county. district
and stXtc fairs are quite generally
held. The Norfolk Fair is now an
Interstate event. The district and
county fairs especially arc held, not
mainly for the sale Of goods, but for
advertising purposes. City street
fairs, where amjIselncnts Of various
kinds are furnished, are Intended to
promote the welfare of the city by
attracting traders to them. The
same goes for worlds fairs which
are held in this country
In the Old World the fair or ba-
zaar is an ancient institution If it
were possible to find files Of the
daily papers and country weeklieS
when old Mr.. Pharaoh was kinging
for Il living. when Professor Plato
was discoursing on pure democracy
and the what and how of republic
when the thousand and one events
of the Arabian Nights Entertain
ments were being worked out. we
should probably find articles like
! this one. u
/ Barter and Exchange Places.
People throughout Europe look
upon the fair as Il meeting held for
the purpose Of exhibiting and selling
goods. Originally fairs were held ut
stated times and places, some for
the sale of a particular class OF
merchandise. others for the sale OF
goods of general character. Pcu:;I;
resorted to them to exchange goods
and to collect their stores to las
for several months. Princes ans
the magistrates of cities encouraged
them and some of the privilege,
force.
Such fairs as these fousi<h to-tla,
on the outskirts of civilization. Il:
in Siberia. Manchuria Asiatic Tur
key, where people live i>o!atcd fo
long stretches Of time and do tIei
buying no oftcncr than once or twi:.
! year. They originated il tn
! church festivals. which were fo,tn
to afford the best opportunity 70
commercial transactions. the con
course Of people being such as too
, place upon DO other occasion.
Other Europeaa Practices
o In some parts of Europe person
q of all ranks still wait for the "rca
|, annual fairs to make their prime
pal purchase of articles Of every dc
y scrirtion. This applies especially t
d parts Of Europe where trading faci
: ities-incllding transportation, Hd
: Are not rs highly dcyeloped as
q all parts of America to-day.
One OF the most noted Of the ol
fairs was that Of Saint BarthoI'
i new in London. founded at the b.
e. ginning Of the twelfth century.
The greatest fairs III Germany Al
i those of Frankfort, Leipsiz ~
. Brunswick Other noted and hi
= torc fairs held yearly or scmia
nuaIly in Europe are those of IN
zach. Switzerland; Budapest. I!E
gary: Sihigaglia. Italy; Lyon
/ France (beforc the war;. and Niz
| ni-Novgorod Russia. The la
named yearly used to attract buye
. from all parts of Europe and ce
trail and northern Asia. and mere
andisc worth 500, 900 chang
hands At Mecca. in Arabia, t
| fair is held in connection With t
annual pilgrimage of Mohammedal
in the world.
L May this array of solemn facts
all guaranteed TO be reasonably tt
hot put damper on a frlVolo
| mood ard spoil the fair for you. -
up i'll your gayest drapery and
your heart on having a regular p
| mic this year-.just Ike the year y