Peninsula Enterprise, January 4, 1890

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - FairsTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing

MR. EDITOR. -- The Chesapeake Agricultural Fair Association having had two successful seasons, it is now our desire to enter the Delaware and Maryland circuit, beginning the circuit at Cape Charles. This will open our Fair about the last week in August, or one week prior to the opening of the regular circuit. Cape Charles is pre-eminently the place for such an opening, as it will give the horsemen an opportunity of getting in trim for the great struggles of the campaign. Our Fair grounds, situated on the very shores of the Chesapeake, in full view of the majestic waters of this inland sea, whose face is ever white with the wings of commerce as they freight their burdens to and from the ports of the world -- the gentle breeze laden with moisture, cooled by these mighty waters and fragrant with the perfumes of the deep, not only temper the heat of our August sun, but invigorates the soul and stirs the pulse of enervated mankind. August is our holiday -- the farmer tired of toil and care, throws aside the shovel and the hoe, dons his Sunday-go-to-meeting, and for a brief moment our whole country is in her gala dress. It is then the merry voices of pretty girls are heard on our Fair grounds -- the gallant youth swears victory or death as in the tourney he breaks lance in defense of love and beauty -- the farmer shakes the honest hand of his brother toiler, discusses the prospects of his crops, the beauty of his horses, the pedigree of his cattle, rails at the cheating commission and fertilizer men, but declares, that his greatest pleasure of the year is this social gathering on our common meeting ground -- the Fair. Our Association has determined to strive for that high mark of excellence that animated it at its opening and will continue to offer large premiums to encourage in our people a healthy rivalry, that in the end may add to our prosperity and happiness. Pleasing attractions of all kinds will be seen on our grounds and we will endeavor to make our next Fair a grand success and a pride to our Shore. Let the ladies begin their handiwork for our ladies apartment -- the farmers to set aside a lot in which to raise something for our produce department to get the premium and have the laugh on his neighbor -- the youth, to handle his colts and feed his pigs and above all, the horsemen to look to the merits of his trotters. Hot for the Fair at Cape Charles in August, 1890.

STOCKHOLDER.

Eastville, Va., Dec. 21,'89.

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Transportation -- Road - MaintenanceInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Chain gangTransportation -- Road - Legislation

MR. EDITOR. -- The bad condition of public highways is attracting attention throughout the country. In many States the farmers, through their granges, alliances, and other organizations are demanding better roads. New Jersey seems to have taken the lead in this important movement by adopting a general road law permitting counties to issue bonds, with certain limitations to pay for macadamizing public roads, and many of the counties have gone to work, in earnest, to make good, macadamized public roads. These, with but little repair, will last for ages, but we cannot attempt anything of this kind at present. The expense would be too great, but we ought to make thoroughly good, well drained, dirt roads. This we can do, if we will only try. Of course it will cost considerable, but it will be of immense advantage, and will greatly enhance the value of our farms but I want to say here, our roads will never be good under the present system of repairing them. The gratuitous labor feature of the law has proved in England and in this country wherever tried an utter failure. I challenge the champions of that system to show me a single county in the whole American Union where gratuitous labor has produced good public roads. No, they can't do it, and but I am told Judge Gillet will rigidly inforce the old road law. I believe he will do his duty, honestly and fearlessly, but he cannot accomplish impossibilities. Canute commanded the tide to cease rising but [illegible] not the voice of the mighty monarch. Give Judge Gillet a good road law, and I believe, in time, we will have good roads, but he cannot create something out of nothing. We cannot make good roads without proper labor saving machines. We must have road plows, scrapes and heavy iron rollers. With these, two men and two teams will make more and incomparably better roads in a day than one hundred men will make with the spade, shovel and hoe, but we cannot use these labor-saving machines with our gratuitous road labor. Ordinary farm hands would not know how to use the machines. Every body wants good roads, can we have them by gratuitous labor? The history of England and our own experience answer no, never. What are we to do about it? Let us go to work like progressive people and devise some plan, and to this end I would suggest that meetings be held throughout the county so that the people may express their views in resolutions or petitions to the Legislature. A recent writer in your paper, signing himself "Farmer" criticised the Legislature, and made the most extraordinary suggestion that "each farm keep the road that runs across it in repair." A most lame and impotent suggestion. This would be in the nature of a tax on certain farms and the exemption of other farms from taxation, and is plainly in conflict with the first section of the tenth article of the constitution of Virginia. I do not blame our Legislators. How can we expect them to devise a law for us, when we cannot agree upon any law ourselves? "Farmer" wants each farm to keep the road that passes over it in repair. I want a road law that looks to ultimately making good, hard, well-drained and well graded roads, with the centers elevated to form a water shed and I want this done by labor-saving machines worked by hired labor, and convict labor employed as far as practicable for ditching, grading &c. But the first thing to be done is to have a complete survey of all our public roads and a correct map made of them, which should be hung in the county clerk's office for reference and then the great central highway, through the county should be put in thorough repair, drained, graded and where necessary shelled. The old system, if amended and improved could stand until one by one we could thoroughly repair and make good all the roads in the county, and then they should be kept in repair by labor-saving machines and general taxation. The gratuitous labor system -- disguise it as you may, is in the nature of a head tax, and being in excess of the $1.50 capitation tax, (allowed by the constitution,) is a violation of the fundamental law of the land. It is moreover, a tax upon labor, and is therefore oppressive, unjust and impolitic. Political economy teaches that capital, not labor, should bear public burdens.

UNO.