The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-09-08
MEDITATIONS ON THE FAIR.

In some respects the Ninth Annual Southeast ern Alaska Fair, which closed last Saturday nlght was successful in others. it failed to make the most of its opportunities. Nothing can be perfect In judging the exposition, its merits should not be minmized nor it's faults extenuated. In viewing it as a whole reasonable conclusions seem to be that the good is menaced by the bad and that unless reforms are inaugurated the criticisms current Tn some quarters may become widespread and cause it's abandonment In the interest of the enterprise it's advantages and disadvantages should be weighed now when they fresh in the public mind ana when plans be laid for improvement.
 Some departments of the recent fair are worthy of praise. Floral, educational, needlework, nome cooking and canning amateur art and photography and curio displays were excellent To assemble and to put them into place required painstaking labor of long hours duration For the presence and the arrangement of these exhibits, much credit IS due to a group of public spirited women The com prehensive and attractive character of the division and the resultant appreciation of many visitors are the only rewards that accrued to those who gave so generously of time and effort
 The vegetable and small fruit exhibits were varied and of superior qualities The display by the Government Experiment Station at Sitka was highly commendable The other collections lacked quantity.
 Livestock and poultry exhibits were not repre- sentative Indeed little if any, provision had been made for fox mink neither of which was present, but both of which combine to constitute an im- portant industry in this part of the Territory.
 Dairy products were ignored So fish, which in various phases the most valuable or Alaska's resources, Ore specimens were scant and inconspcuous, in a region renowned for mining activity
 few business enterprises had display bootns, but most of the booths were for games of chance questionable in their effects
 Without being unmindful of entertainment, the Fair should emphasize the various business aspects of Southeast Alaska More farmers not only in this locality but also in neighborng sections, should be importuned to take part. Products of the soil, dairy commodities, poultry, ordinary domesticated livestock and fur bearing animals should be abundantly rep resented and inducements such as free transpor- tation and prizes should be offered by the exposi- tion Outside covered pens, insuring adequate ven- tlation, should not be lacking
 Fisheries and mining should be given places Of first importance. Steamship companies should be urged to exploit by photographs and pamphlets the method of transportation common to this re- gion Stores should show goods and merchandise Merchants could enlist from the States the CO., operation brokers wholesalers and manufacturers whose commodities are consumed and used here
 Capable management is essential. It is avail able as evidenced by the recent exposition and by it's predecessors despite the almost unsurmountable obstacles of sparsity of time, conflicting private tasks and insufficency of funds. Competent direc- ton must be forehanded Personal solicitation should be made of prospective exhibitors months before the opening of the exposition. Correspondence with industrial and commercial interests in the States with reference to displaying, sampling and demon strating their goods would have to be started in time to permit of necessary arrangements elsewhere as well here.
 Of course, such management must be compen- stated It may require exclusive attention to exactine duties for some considerable period, and cannot be obtained for nothing.
 Fairs usually not promoted for direct profit Their benefits are indirect. They exert an educa- tional influence worthy of generous financial en- couragement from the public treasury. They adver' tise commodities and attract visitors and these results should prompt the liberal support of mer chants.
 It would seem that Juneau. happily possessed of commodious well-appointed building, can bt made the site of annual fair truly representative of all Southeast Alaska, from Ketchikan to Yaku tat and creditable to the entire Territory. Legis lature and business interests afford to provide the few thousands of dollars necessary to insure success of the enterprise.