ANNUAL ADDRESS 



I>ELIVEEED AT THE 



STATE AGRICULTURAL FAIR, 



Held at Janesville, Sop. 28, 29 and 30, and Oct. 1 and 2, 18.57. 



THE REIGN OF WAR, OF WORDS AND OF WORKS. 



BT PROF, J. B. TURNER, OP JACKSONVILLE, ILL. 



Fellow citizens, I cannot but congratulate you upon the use- 

 ful and succeasful termination of your State Fair. How much 

 do we see around to delight and inspire u.s ; what good for the 

 present, what hope for the future. 



Mr. Maoauley, in his history of England, states in substance, 

 that whenever in the earlier ages our English ancestors met at 

 their little town and county fairs, it was not in the power of an 

 armed and despotic police, to prevent fights, broils, nots, rob- 

 beries and murders on all hands, while as many of the common 

 people got drunk as could find the means. 



Now, fellow citizens, I have during the past few weeks atten- 

 ded some five or six of our industrial fairs, in as many different 

 states, where from ten to thirty thousand people have gathered 

 daily through the week, and I have not in one single case seen 

 a fight, a quarrel, or even an angry or drunken man on or near 

 the grounds. There may have been such, but / have not seen 

 them, nor ev^n heard of them. 



In view of such a fact, it is in vain to talk to me about the 

 dangerous moral influence of such associations, or the degener- 

 acy and hopelessness of our age and our times. 

 2t 



