Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-09-20
FAIRPLAY

Falrplay Is the rlSHtlul iHeuluhi ny
which all things are truthfully judged.
The awarding of the permanent
Loving Cup to the Meeker county agrl-
cultural exhibit at the state fair re-
Gently could not possibly, in the light,
in which it was exposed coincide with
this medium. The very righteousness
of 1.-THE unfairness of the whole
thing is beyond the pale of the right
thinking human mind. No part of this
is meant for the judges who awarded
the prize, for they saw the exhibits
in their own true light the way they
were displayed in the booth and not
as the borrowed products of another,
used to make up the trend toward a
defeat
1t becomes a sad and lamented fact
when the body governing the awarding
of prizes and whose duty it is to see
fairplay, leaves such an unfinished
task before the minds of all those who
are familiar with this particular ques-
ton. When the wrong had been adj
mitted by the one In charge of the
Meeker exhibit it was certainly
enough evidence to reverse the de-
cision of the judges and give Pine
county first place instead of Meeker.
In most phases of competition where
a participant is found guilty of violat-
ing the rules governing such contest,
he is at once disqualified and the one
next in rank is awarded in his place,
but in this case, the dame of good
fortune seems to still be smiling on
the offender.
This contest certainly speaks bad
for other contests in the future-in
that it tends to upset the confidence
of the people who before have taken
such pride in he State fair exhibits
and it might tend to decrease the in
terest that has previously been taken
in this particular phase of fair ac-
compliShments. We would suggest,
not only because we are interested in
the welfare of Pine county and not
because there is any money involved,
but because we are interested in see
ing the spirit of fairplay prevail in
all phases of competition and because
we do not wish to uphold any one in
volved in the infraction of governing
rules, that this award be given to Pine
county. Now the board of governors
are in the position to make amends
without stepping from under their
robes of elevation, they are entitled to
the reconsideration of the question and
can even call a new and special meet
ing of the contestants in order that
this controversy may be settled in the
way that reason and fairmindedness
would teach. The board of governors,
we are sure, are made up of group
of broad thinking men, who are cap
able of weighing a question from all
angles and making a decision fair and
square enough to satisfy all concerned,
otherwise they would never have been
chosen by those in charge of one of
the greatest fairs in our United States
to serve in such an important capaci-
ty. Let them reconsider this question
and reverse the placement of the win
ner and send the coveted prize to
where it so rightfully belongs-to the
one who held strictly to the rules of
fairplay in spite of the fact that he
might be defeated and to him who
has so faithfully labored during the
past nine years that Pine county
might be advertised all over the
Northwest with scanty, if any remun-
Grafton.
Now if the award cannot be given to
Pine county, then since each of the
contestants have two firsts, we would
suggest that this be left an open year
that the fair board hold the prizes
until next year at which time, by
only fair means, the rightful owner
may be ascertained.