Tama County Republican

Union Fairs.

We are sorry to see the Leader making efforts to organize a District Agricultural Society, composed of portions of Tama, Poweshiek, Marshall and Jasper counties. We do not discuss the right of the Leader to give this advice nor the right of portions of the above named counties to thus effect such an organization. We do, however, question the desirability of such a course, and especially its good sense. Tama is one of the large counties of the State. Its agricultural resources are unsurpassed, perhaps, by any county in Iowa that could be named. Its manufacturing resources are many and extensive. Its mineral wealth, not counting the coal mines not yet developed, but calculated to underlie an extensive area of soil, while incapable of accurate computation, is immense. Tama County, thus situated, is capable of supporting an Agricultural Society that shall vie with those of older and more populous counties. Thus far, such an organization has not existed here. There has been an evident lack of harmony and concert of action between different portions of the County. And because this harmony and concert of action among the citizens could not be obtained, one County Agricultural Association has plunged into death's gulf, and a second one does not appear to possess a large amount of vitality. In the matter of supporting a County Society, the body politic is like the body corpus in reference to the support of animal life.- The feet, the hands, the head, the lungs, the heart, the body, each contribute a portion of vitality and sustenance. Neither, alone, is capable of the feat. In the County Society, the center, the different corners, sides and ends, are, each and all essential to give symmetry and perfect vitality to the organization. If the south-eastern portion of the county join with portions of Benton, Poweshiek and Iowa in a Union Society, at Belle Plaine, the south-western portion joins portions of Marshall, Jasper and Poweshiek, in a Union Fair, at Grinnell, the northern portion joins with Blackhawk and Grundy in another Union Fair, at some other point, all the energies of the county are so divided and disintegrated that no separate county organization can be maintained, in any degree of respectability and vitality. Instead of one strong, healthy, vigorous society, of which every citizen of Tama county could be proud, three or four small, half-starved, stunted societies would disgrace the county and State. A feeble society, ill-conditioned and ill-conducted, is no honor to any community; and, generally, is a curse instead of a blessing. Tama county deserves a first-rate Agricultural Society, and the people thereof owe it to themselves, to their own honor, and to the honor of the State, to unite harmoniously in the support of one good society, and no other.