ASSOCIATIO^^ OF FAIK MANAGERS, 213 



who are above reproach, and to whom money and favor count very lit- 

 tle. Take the matter up early. See that your live stock departments are 

 given honest, reliable, competent men to pass on the classes involved, as 

 exhibitors appreciate what belongs to them. 



In my opinion much could be done to improve the county fairs if all 

 departments were made of educational value, or, in other words, if edu- 

 cational feaures were given a prominent place in every department of the 

 county fair, it would appeal very much more strongly to the agricultural 

 people. There is too much inclination to furnish cheap" special features 

 of amusement, you may say. The people who attend the county fairs 

 today in ^ large number of cases are persons who are attracted by these 

 special features. This does not signify, however, that the best farmers 

 would not take an interest in the county fair, if an effort was put fortli 

 to help their sons to know how to select and produce better animals, grow 

 better corn, make a better class of butter or select better farm imple- 

 ments. There are improvements along all lines of agriculture in the 

 State. The mass of the people are looking for something that will help 

 them make more out of their farms; something that will help them to 

 a higher living; something that will make them better business men, and 

 not so much for cheap amusement as some think. Many of our fairs are 

 absolutely degrading. On one hand we find tlie rum seller and book- 

 maker and on the other hand cheap, vile shows, which have nothing to 

 commend them. They are said to be the paying features of the fair. If 

 such are necessarj^ that fair 'S-ociation had better go out of business, as 

 it is not fulfilling the original purpose for which it was established and 

 is doing the agi-icultural communities of the State more harm than good. 

 The county fair should be an illustration of good business methods 

 as well as a good educator. It requires men who have had some exi)eri- 

 ence in matters of business in order to keep the association going. There 

 are buildings to keep in repair, fences to keep up, improvements to make, 

 money to be spent, and many such things which demand the attention 

 of the business man. Yet too frequently we find the directors are law- 

 yers and politicians, who are not in sympathy with the agricultural com- 

 munities. They seem to have a desire to hold a series of horse races 

 for their own amusement and benefit, rather than have a fair which will 

 be of value in the upbuilding of the interests of the community. 



Mr. Thomas: 1 don't think there is much left for me to say. The 

 paper is certainly a good one and covers many points in connection with 

 county fairs that should be observed. I feel like the young theologian 

 who wrote to a friend, after hearing a famous preacher, that he had 

 taken all his points. I fear the Professor has taken all the points i 

 had to make. 



The question of success depends very much on how we view it. If 

 you are looking solely to the financial side you will have one view; if 



