The season of agricultural fairs, “cattle-shows” and the like, is about over.  There is scarcely a county in New England, scarcely a State in the Union, but has had a fair of some sort or other.  Most of them report better exhibits and larger attendance than ever before.  Some few report a falling off in attendance.  That all these fairs have done exhibitors much good is doubtful; that they have benefited the thinking portion of their attendants is unquestionable.  Unfortunately, the thinking portion of a farming community is lamentably small.  Most people go to a “cattle-show” to be amused; a few go to learn.  The few that derive benefit from seeing the wonders of the earth collected in pens and on tables are helped just as a teacher gets benefit from a teacher’s institute—­both get food for thought.  At the cattle-show the farmer may learn of new methods and see their results.  The trouble is that the ordinary farmer goes to the fair for the same reason that the average citizen buys a ticket to the menagerie—­to see the circus.  There are more clowns at a cattle-show than the sawdust ever saw.  The horses may not be so pretty or gaudy, but they go faster.  One man defended himself very frankly at the dinner of a county fair in this State when he said:  “The Lord made horses to go, and I like to see them do it.”  This question of trotting or no trotting at the fair is not a new one; but with age it seems to acquire toughness,—­like chickens, for instance.

But passing by the horse question, we come to the question of clowns, which is really a very serious one.  It may be irreverent to compare “cattle-show” orators to circus clowns, but really the temptation is irresistible; and then they are the only features of the respective exhibitions that have speaking parts.  Joking aside, there are important lessons which the speaking and the speakers at the recent fairs may teach us.  We find that the candidate for office has become a great attraction, one which the fair-managers bid high for.  They draw well, too.

This calls to mind this year’s Salisbury Beach Festival, a time-honored institution which has degenerated into a money-making affair in these later days.  This year there was, to be sure, a large crowd present, but yet the attendance was smaller than in any year for a long time.  The number of people present was between 3,500 and 5,000.  Prominent gentlemen in Essex County were advertised to address the crowd.  The newspaper comment on the event is short and to the point:  “There was no speaking, as the crowd was more interested in seeing the Lawrence Base Ball Club beat the Newbury porters, by a score of 9 to 7.”  Again:  “The principal attractions were Professors Parker and Martin at the skating rink, and the 4,000-pound ox.”

O Tempora!  O Mores!