EEPORTS FEOM COUNTY SOCIETIES. 513 



Mr. Gliddeii suggested that the rules of each society be read for comparison 

 and interchanging yiews. Adopted. 



Membership tickets. — Three societies reported that they gave five tickets with 

 membership ticket, the other five only four. 



Mr. Potter moved that this convention recommend that four tickets be given 

 with the membership ticket. Adopted. 



Mr. Little moved that this convention recommend that adult tickets be fixed 

 at a uniform price of twenty-five cents. Carried, 



Mr. Davis said that at Berrien they had much trouble aljout teams entered 

 claiming free admission. They had adopted the Kalamazoo rules, charging 

 admission after 9 o'clock A. M. 



Mr. Potter moved that the convention approve of the rules of the Kalamazoo 

 Society in reference to teams entered for exhibition, that they be charged admis- 

 sion after 9 o'clock A. M. Adopted. 



Mr. Glidden moved that firms exhibiting at fairs be treated as a unit. 

 Adopted. 



Mr. Potter thought competition ought to be open to the State even. 



Mr. Stearns moved that the convention recommend that premium lists of 

 county societies be open to all other counties. Adopted. 



Mr. Stearns moved that Kalamazoo rules be adopted, that "animals or arti- 

 cles can only compete for one premium, except for special and sweepstake pre- 

 miums." Adoj^ted. 



Mr, Potter moved that the convention recommend that premium badges be 

 aflixed on the last day of the fair by the superintendents. Lost. 



It was moved that articles and animals without competition be awarded 1st and 

 2d premiums if worthy. Adopted. 



The second topic, ''General Management of Fairs," was then taken up and 

 discussed. Mr. Winchell moved that all unlawful amusements be excluded 

 from the fair ground, including intoxicating drinks. This led to an extended 

 interchange of views, and incidentally the subject of horse-racing was brought 

 in. Mr. Potter, of Lansing, said that under the motion trials of speed would 

 have to be excluded, as the statute recognized horse-racing as unlawful. He 

 gave extracts from the law, showing that supervisors Avere not permitted to give 

 aid to fairs which allowed or encouraged betting and horse-racing. 



Mr. Winchell said he did not mean to prohibit trials of speed. He did not 

 think a horse trot or a trial of speed under proper regulations was unlawful or 

 wrong in any respect. 



Mr. Davis of Berrien wa? in favor of trials of speed, and made some good 

 talk on the subject. 



The speakers all seemed to agree upoii the point that all games of chance and 

 all devices of a gambling character, and the sale of intoxicating drinks should 

 bo prohibited upon the grounds, and Mr. Winchell' s motion was unanimously 

 adopted, it being tacitly admitted that trials of speed under proper restrictions 

 ajid conduct were not an unlawful amusement. 



The subject of amusements was further discussed in respect to the matter of 

 offering special attractions to "draw the crowd." Mr. Stearns thought it not 

 objectionable, not inimical to the purpose and success of county fairs, to make 

 them attractive to the multitude, and was in favor of introducing features of 

 popular interest. He related the success which had attended the eft'orts of our 

 own fair in this respect. He did not sympathize with that feeling which prevailed 

 with some, that it is unworthy to resort to extraneous aids to make agricultural 

 65 



