Silver had been ejected from the fairgrounds earlier in the week for wearing a large sandwich-board sign calling for the impeachment of President Bush. He also was told he couldn't come back because his message had the potential to incite aggressive behavior from other fairgoers.

But after the American Civil Liberties Union got involved, citing Silver's right to free speech, a deal was struck that would allow Silver and his message to return.

Silver paid the fee and was allowed to set up a booth of his own, according to Katherine Lewis Parker, legal director of the state chapter of the ACLU.

"She told me the attorney with the Department of Agriculture actually suggested it, and I said 'I'll take it,' " Silver said, sitting behind a card table with a petition people could sign beside stickers calling for impeachment and the end of the death penalty.

What seems like a victory for Silver may be a mixed blessing.

With all the prime booth locations bought up long before the fair started, Silver's spot is outside the restrooms on the south side of Dorton Arena.

While 4-inch letters beckon passersby to the "RESTROOMS," there is no indication there are exhibits inside. Fairgoers have to walk between a large National Guard storage trailer and a radio station bus to reach the door. The only other display nearby is an unmanned education display on the drought.

The foot traffic was very light around noon, about four people per hour, he said.

But Silver was still happy.

He pointed out that his booth would still be there that evening when more than 5,000 rock music lovers piled into Dorton for Chris Daughtry's sold-out concert.