IN linHnjM
WOULD CURB SILENT ORATORS
T la a trifle early perhaps
you are saying to begin
talking about the county
fair, Mnybo bo, If you are
looking fofward to the
autumn ovent moroly from
the standpoint of a cold,
calm, casually Interested
spectator. Hut Just remem
ber, please, that thore are
thousands upon thousands
of peoplo all over the coun
try for whom the annual
neighborhood fair moans
much more. They are the
prospective exhibitors, and
no wonder they begin to
plan and speculate and an
tlcipato almost from tho tlmo the snow Is off the
ground.
Indeed, If a person Is ambitious for success In
tho competitions at tho county fair, It Is abso
lutely necessary to bo forehanded in preparation,
This applies with equal force whether It Is a case
of John seeking blue ribbons for his shcop and
cattlo or Mary seeking tho grand prizes for her
cakes and pies and preserves. And of course tt
1r truo In yet greater measure of Cousin Sue
who has a plot to capture the diploma for tho
handsomest silk quilt or the most beautiful pillow
top for, bo It known no prize-winning piece of
fancy work, no more than Rome, was built in
a day.
It is a matter of congratulation that tho old
fashioned county fair has remained unchanged, In
Its main features, slnco tho days of our grand
fathers. It Is one of tho most cherished memories
of every man whose boyhood was spent within
lure of Its magic one of the memories that after
residence In tho city he half feara to roklndlo
by renewed association, lost the twentieth century
brand won't be the least bit like the old-time
event that was awaited with moro anticipation
than was bestowed oven upon the Fourth of July
or the annual visit of the "monstor nnd inns
todonic united shows." Perhaps this cherished
idol of youth may not have been a really and
truly "county fair," for not all county falra con
enjoy the prestige of location at tho county seat,
but, after all, that is n minor matter in the eyes
of tho outsider and no man can ovor bo convinced
that tho world over held n more Importnnt "agri
cultural exposition" than tho one at which as
a youngster he exhibited his chickens or peddled'
peanuts or sold scorecards.
That, as has been said, the old-fashioned county
fair hasn't been changed boyond recognition, even
to this day, is all tho moro a mnttor of Burprlso
when we take Into account the revolutionary
changes that have taken place In other phases
of rural life. Tho introduction of rural free de
livery, for instance has done away with tho
necessity and the opportunity for those friendly
gatherings at tho cross-roads store when the farm
era who drpvo over for the mall stole a little
lelsuro in which to swap stories. Similarly a
phonograph In every farm bouse has somewhat
dulled tho appetite for those porlodlo concerts
at tho little red school house.-evon as the presence
on the roads of those zipping, Bcreechlng automo
biles has knocked all tho romnnca out of those
buggy rides in the moonlight when old Dobbin
was allowed to And his own way and Bet his own
pace.
Not only has the county fair withstood the
ravages of timo and tho onslaught of modern
invention, but in some respects it has benefited
by a lapso of time. That Is, many a fair of the
present day Is vastly bigger and better than was
tho corresponding event on the same grounds a
score or more of years ago. It Is not duo solely
to tho natural Increase of population, either, nor
yet to that "back-to-tho-soll" crusade which has
Bwept over the land. Tho latter has helped, how
ever, because It has added to tho population of
many a rural district men and women who are
engaging In farming for pleasure as well as for
profit and who enter their products at tho near
by fairs as a matter of pride Just as a breedor or
fine dogs will travel all over the country to dls
play hU blooded canines at the big dog shows,
even though the prizes would not pay tho express
charges on the animals.
Tho nutomobllo, despised though It bo in many
quarters, has had a big Influence In bringing
greater prosperity to our latter-day county fairs.
Tho advent of tho horsoless vehicles and tho fnd
for touring, taken in conjunction with that Im
provement of country roads which has been go
ing on this past docado or so, has mado It posslblo
for farmers to travel greater distances to the
fairs. Tho tiller of tho soil who In tho old days
was content to tako his family to one -fair tho
one nearest homo, may now, If he has one of
those automobiles that nro constructed especially
for the uso of farmers, "take In" anywhere from
tliree to half a dozen fairs hold within n radius
of say twenty or thirty miles. Of course, this
swells tho gnto receipts and It also rcsiilts In
tho exhibit classos being bettor tilled.
On tho other hand, tho motor car has brought
to tho county fairs n certain patronngo from city
folk who almost never nttended theso rural exhibi
tions In the old days. Some of tho city folks nro
those who have friends or relatives In tho country,
with whom they hold a reunion at the fair.
Others aro one-time rural residents who, having
gono to town and "made tholr pile," find that
they can como back via tho automobllo when
they would not tako tho troublo If It meant getting
up early in the morning to catch an excursion
train. And finally there aro the city folk who
havo neither kith nor kin nor tho ties of old
associations to draw them to tho far, but who
motor to the autumn mecca ns a sort of "lark" '
and who find It quite aH novel an experience In
Its way an the rural resident does to Journey to
the city to Inspect an exposition or a great amuse
ment park. This lattor portion of the Influx, from
the city may not add to the gaiety of the occa
sion, particularly, for the country peoplo at the
county fair, but tholr contributions nt tho tlckot
wondow are. well worth having and gonorally ap
preciated, for, be It known, tho avorago county
fair Is conducted by farmers nnd other mcmberh
of the community who can't wholly overlook the
financial side,
Yet another new Influence that has helped the
county fair In our time Is the suppression of
botting and tho abandonment of racing at most
of the race courses near the large cities. Hoeing
of one kind or another goes on at almost all our
country fairs and wherens it Is nob supposed to
be accompanied by belting there nro opportunities
fpr quiet wagers, whereas tho mere racing In Itself
Is sufficient to attract horna owners and others
who love the sport fer Itself. Just hero, It may
be added, that most fairs throughout the Totted
States are now conducted on a clean, moral bnsls.
Liquor selling on the grounds or nearby has long
been prohibited In most localities and out-and-out
gambling dovlccs havo been barred from uiany
fair groundsi those many years, but latterly, In
response to the moral awakening that has swept
over tho country, fnlr managers nro showing a
disposition to keep out most of those raffles and
games of chnnco which, perhaps Innocent
In themselves, might havo n bad Influence on the
youthful mind.
This banishment of some of the old-time catch
penny schemes hns not, however, so altered
things that tho man who has been out in the
world cannot, rocognlzn tho county fnlr of his
youth when ho comes back to it. Ho will see at
tho old stand all tho weight-testing and lung
testing mnchlnes, tho old-fashioned merry-go-round
nnd tho stands selling peanuts and sandwiches
and red lemonade. Ho can teat his skill, as of
yore, In tossing rings over canes or trying to bit
thu venturesome colored boy who pokes tits hend
through a holo In a sheet. Tho time-honored "sldo
show" or carnival is thore with Its snake charm
ers and giants nnd dwarfs and tho fortune tollers
nnd popcorn venders havo tho old eluslvo way of
Inducing you to part with your coin. Even tho
fans nnd budges and tiny lings and "gold" medals
of yostoryear look nnd cost tho snmo as they did
ns far back as memory can carry you. About
tho only now things at tho county fair, In fact, aro
the moving picture shows In tholr somber black
tents nnd i tho lco cronm cones that , have sup
planted thb ono-tlmo "flvc-cont dish with two
spoons."
Tho men who havo been conducting county fairs
long enough to mukp comparisons will tell you
that, all In all, It casts Just nbout as much to
hold a fair nowadays ob It. did a deendo or two
ago, presuming, that 1b, that you "hang up" nbout
ns much In prizes for tho show nnd speed clnsBcs.
Somo Items have been cut over tho expeuses In
tho old days, whereas othor outlays havo In
creased, owing to tho Increased cost of living or
somo other new Influence. For one- thing, tho
fnlr managers savo somo inonoy In heralding tho
fair. For tho sentiment of tho thing, they still
have to mako use of somo of thoso gaudy posters
in blue nnd re'd nnd yellow that from timo out of
mind havo filled childish dreams every autumn,,
but they don't spend monoy to plaster theso
posters on overy bnrn nnd fenco and covered
bridgo In tho county, us thoy wore wont to do In
thu old days. As the number of country nows
papers hns Increased thoy havo provided a bettor
and cheaper way of tolling tho peoplo of tho de
lights of tho coming fair. On tho othor hand,
tho "star attraction," If the fair management
wnntB to bo right up to date and havo au airship
flight each day, will cost moro than in tho old
days. A parachute Jumper or an acrobat who
did tho thrilling "olldo for lire" did not demand
hnlf as much monoy, usually, as tho oxpert noro
plnnlst who wants n feo of $500 nnd upward.
A feature of tho county fnlr that hasn't changed
with the lapse of tlmo Is tho season for holding
tho ovent. Tho conclusion of the harvest, which
leaven the farmer comparatively care-froo and,
let us hope, with money In his pocket, dictates the
dato of this annual festival. In somo parts of
tho country Soptomhor Is tho, favorjto month for
fairs, but elsewhere Octobor has the call and
quite a few of theso agricultural shows and trot
ting meets are hold In early November. Active
proparntlons at the fair grounds begin a month
or six weoks earlier for tho up-to-dato fair asso
ciation repaints Its buildings each summer and has
everything spick and span for the three or four
day attraction. '
The Old Order Changeth
A critic declared that twentieth century peoplo
tell their prlvato affairs much more readily than
used to he the custom. If marriages turn out tin
fortunately tlio world lonrns it from the parties
. chiefly concerned, and what tho old-fashioned
woman would have called the secrets of her In
ner life, not to bo confessed oven to hersolf, the
now woman tells boldly In order to surround her
personality with a halo of Interest, for it seems
certain, If you do not say you have troubles, no
body will .notice thorn. Tho InBtinct of family
loyalty la diminishing, that clannish sentiment
which caused relatives to hide their Internal dls
BenBlons from others as carefully as they would
bodily Infirmities; children crltlciso their parents
and vice versa; brothers and sisters quarrel In
tho street; tho black shcop Is openly discussed
by his relations. No toleration is granted on tho
scoro of blood, and as all of us rcqulro us much
toleration as we can got, It seems a pity so fruit
ful a means of supply Is cut off. Yet, If n mar
has a brother n blackguard, why should ho not
say so, Just as much as if ho woro a stranger?
There seems no real reason, except that it
docs not sound nice, and public opinion long age
decided that n family disgrace must be shared by
all the members.
Representative Maun, tho minority
leader of tbo house, Is on the trail of
those who obtain "leavo to print"
their remarks la the Congressional
Record and who then Intersperso
these remarks with "applause," "loud
applause," "tumultous applause." and
other complimentary annotations indi
cating that (he houso was In a state
of frenzy, while "the distinguished
gentleman" was speaking.
Representative Mann has been
glancing over tho records containing
tho debate on tbo Free List .Hill and
the Arlzonn-Now Mexico statehood
resolution. He Is understood to, have
7 1 tlculnr, that hns boon made the sub-
y J Joct of a little satirical comment oa
fJS!l r I -tr I I fi nnr of hn mlnnrltv lnarinr. This
speech scorns to have mot a most
wonderful reception.
Tho orntor, according to tho Rec
ord, .started off Btnoothly, but was In
terrupted by tho plaudits of his colleagues almost boforo ho left tho post.
Art tho luombor warmed up, tho houso warmed with him, and adJoclvcs had
to bo called Into piny to describe. Just where tho rocoptlon rccolvcd by tho
gentleman. Tho applaviRo, It nppenrs, was "loud;" "prolonged," "Insistent."
"tumultuous," "on both sides" nnd "Insurgont."
A scrutiny of tho official reporter's notes docs not indicate that the
houso was In a state of frenzied approval whllo tho modern Demosthenos let
flow his burning oloquenco,
. Mr. Mann hns served In six congresses' continually slnco 1807 six years
from the first Chicago district and later from tho second, Ho Is a native of
Illinois and n lawyer by profession.
CHURCH HEAD AS A WITNESS
Lie i
Recently President Smith, head of
tho Mormon church, gnvo testimony
before tho congressional committee In
vestigating tho BUgar trust rolatlvot to
the formation of tho Utah-Idaho
Sugar company. For tho hend of a
strong church soclqty, ho has found
tlmo to dovoto to atfalrB of puroly
secular chnrnctor.
President Smith hns reached his
present- high stogo or ofllcloncy by
sedulous attention to business. At S
yoars old ho wielded a gond ovor nn
ox team when tho gront exodus or tho
Mormon sect rrom Illinois began. Ho
worked nt manual labor In Utah; ho
was a missionary to tho Sandwich
inlands; In 1858 ho was ordained high
priest nnd member or tho high coun
cil. Off nnd on from 18C0 to 1877 he
was a missionary of tho faith In Great
nrltaln. In 18CG ho was ordnlnod nn
npostlo. Ho has been president of
tho church slnco tho death or Lorenzo
Snow, In 1901.
Tho numerous nnd vnrlod duties ho hail discharged boforo ho was callod
to tho headship of tho church had rendered him fnmllinr with ovory detail
or its administration. Resides, ho camo to tho headship by prosorlptlvo
right Ho was in tho Mormon royal lino, bo to spunk. Ho was a nephew
oi uio great josopn smith, rovcnlor or the Book or Mormon.
Asked ir ho thought It bpst ror a man to havo but ono wiro, tho husband
or flvo wlvos nnd tho fathor of foriy-threo children replied:
"In theso dnyB of tho high cost of living thero Is no doubt that tho nvor
ngo man Is much bettor oft with ono wife If a mnn cannot support one wife
decohtly It would obviously bo ImpoBslblo for him to support moro." 1
EX-SENATOR 83 YEARS OLD
Recently Georgo Franklin Edmunds,
ono of tho rnmous constitutional law
yers or tho United Stntos and for n
qunrtor of n .contury n leader In the
senate until his retirement in 1891,
celebrated tho 83d annivorsary of bis
birth. Although a Vermonter during
the nctlvo days of his public life, ho
now divides his time between Phila
delphia and Pasadena, Cat.
Firty-soven years ago Mr, Edmundt
entered the Vermont legislature and
after u service extending until 1803
resigned to resume tho practice of
law. In 1800 ho was elected to the
United States senate, serving contin
uously until 1891. His namo will best
bo romombered by tho Edmunds act,
which provided for the suppression
of polygamy in Utah and the disfran
chisement of those practicing it He
was also tbo author of an anti-trust
law and was the head of the commit
teo on Judiciary.
He was one or those who drafted
tho bill croating tho doctoral commission of 1877 and was a member or that
body, Twice he loomed up largely as a presidential candidate and In 1880
and 1884 his namo was presented to tbo Republican national conventions.
CONSUL ACCUSED IN SCANDAL
William H. Michael, United Stntos
consul at Calcutta, whoso dismissal
ns a result of tho recent Investigation
of tho Day portrait voucher was ro
commended In a report of the sub
committee or tho houso commlttoo on
expenditures, was formerly clilof clork
or tho Rtuto department.
Tho alleged misappropriation or tho
state department runds occurred In
connection with tho purchnso of a
portrait of Assistant Justice Day of
tho Supremo court, foVmer socrotary
of stnto, and amounted to $1,000. Only
J8G0 was paid to Albert Rosenthal,
tho artist who painted tho picture,
Tho comm,ltteo during Its Investiga
tions traced to a single voucher tho
sum of $2,450. On this vouchor was
wrltton "for portrnlt and frame of cx
Hccrotnry Day"
Tbo testimony having showed that
tho $1,000 unaccounted for wns In the
bunds of Morrison ns disbursing clerk
nnd of Michael as chlof clerk, the
commlttoo holds that tho monoy was misappropriated either by Michael and
Morrison Jointly, or by Michael alone.
Tho mynterlous finding of tho voucher ror $2,450. which was roported.
lost when the commltteo began its Investigation, but which later was discov
ered by a messengor on tho floor in tbo disbursing dork's ofilco, is criticised,
by tho committee In Us report as beyond human belief. .
