216 



THE ILLmOIS FAEMEE. 



July 



The rule itself is an outrage on the integrity and 

 intelligence of both the committee and the exhib- 

 itor, and unworthy a place where it stands — let it 

 at once be kicked out to take its place among by- 

 gone follies. 



4. Awards shall be made to the number, and not 

 to the name of owner or animal. 



The inventor of the above should be fed on gin- 

 ger pop during the entire fair, and have greed for 

 the following week. 



People go to the fair to see and be seen, a good 

 corresponding rule would be to compel all the at- 

 tendants to wear masks. This is decidedly in ac- 

 cordance with the spirit of the old blue laws which 

 would not allow the mother to kiss her child on 

 the Sabbath. It might be dispensed with at least 

 among western people — set it aside with the rub- 

 bish. 



5. In making awards to animals, it is recom • 

 mended that judges have n» discussion, but that, 

 after a thorough examination, they proceed to 

 vote by ballot until a decision is made. 



Go it blind again. Jurys are incarcerated while 

 making their verdict, but the privilege of com- 

 paring notes and views has not been taken from 

 them, but the committee must vote on blindly un- 

 til one party or the other comes off victorious. 

 We often hear of the gag in political conventions 

 and legislative assemblies, which generally ruins 

 the party applying them, but here is a gag without 

 benefit of clergy — pass this rule over among the 

 fossil old rubbish of the dark ages. 



When competitors and committees are brought 

 together, the first are the parties litigant and the 

 latter the court. Let them come up like men and 

 try the equity, not the legal technicalities of 

 the case, let there be a full hearing in open 

 court, and the awards made like men who are re- 

 sponsible for their acts. We need a change, some- 

 thing that shall redeem the awarding committees 

 .fEt>m that disgrace in which they now stand. 

 ' .No wonder that officers of societies who post up 

 such rules are anxious to exclude the members of 

 the press from making a close scrutiny of their 

 acts and in every way snob them and bar the way 

 to the real facts. 



It is not long since when the executive commit- 

 tee of State society, made a great display of intu- 

 ative knowledge, snobbed the members of the 

 press, voted the awards blindly, and afterwards 

 made up a scale of points and arguments to 

 bolster up their awards, but the report fell still- 

 born on the public for the press had given the facts 

 to the people mod|(Kbefore, and their imaculate 

 labors lie mouldfi£i*jKit^e shelf A star cham- 

 ber trial was s^itBSSL ^xA signally failed. Do 



we wonder that agricultural societies are becom- 

 ing unpopular, and is it not time that we have a 

 change in the management, a straightforward} 

 Open, manly course, subject to be looked at with 

 open eyes and to be discussed by all interested. 

 We know that the great mass of these officers are 

 honest, well meaning men, but too often hood- 

 winked by some plotting meddler who has some 

 axe to grind, some friend to reward or enemy to 

 punish. 



The days of fiction and buffoonery should have 

 an end and good common sense hold the reigns for 

 a time, then we will see a change for the better, 

 and these public institutions going on doing good 

 and every year becoming more popular. 



-4». 



* 



Luxuries at Memphis. — When at Memphis we 

 took occasitn to ascertain the cost of meals at 

 the restaurants and give them below. 



BILL OF FARE JUNE 3. 



Side Dishes. 



Pickles OY 



Olives 25 



Sardines 25 



Lobster Salad 50 



Chicken Salad 50 



Soup. 



Mock Turtle 20 



Vermicelli 15 



Rice Tomatoes 15 



JSntree. 



Beef, boiled 25 



Beef, with Vegetables 40 



Tenderloin Steak, plain 40 



• do do with Vegetables 50 



Mutton Cutlettt 25 



Veal Chop 25 



Spring Chicken $1.00 



Chicken Crocket 40 



Stewed Chicken 50 



Stewed Giblet 25 



Chicken Liver 40 



Vegetables. 



Spring Peas 40 



Asparagus 40 



Snap Beans 25 



Tomatoes 25 



Artichokes 25 



Potatoes, every style 15 



Lettuce Salad 25 



Boiled Lettuce 15 



JSoaai. 



Beef 25 



Mutton 25 



Chicken 30 



Dessert. 



Raspberries and Cream 50 



Strawberries and Cream 50 



Cherry Pies 20 





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