The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-02-08

tact. On the other hand, the horsemen
and all lovers Of the exciting race claim
that the payment of premiums and cur
rent expenses depends largely upon
gate receipts, and that without this ex-
element those residing in the city will
not attend from day to day, at csnsid-
cradle expense, and that nothing has
ever been invented to take the place of
the race. These contending elements
are SO exacting, thatif large premiums
are offered for speed, farmers and 9TH
ers refuse TO exhibit; If not, then
horsemen and city people fail to at
tend--a failure in either case is newt
able. To usc public money, under such
circumstances, for horse-racing, would
provoke severe criticism; not TO do 30
would be calamitous, financially. A
financial failure, in fair management,
is complete bankruptcy in every re-
spect.
Fourth-The holding of State fairs
provokes the jealousy of district and
county fair associations and those in
terested in their welfare and prosperi-
ty. 1t is better, in view of this and
other reasons already given, for the
State and this Board to render cncour-
agement and aid to local organizations
SO that farmers and artisans of the sew
eral counties may have their annual
gathering, to which the objections to
State fairs do not attach to any nota-
BILE extent.
Fifth-Another serious objection is,
that to make State fair success, even
with the presence of ample means, the
work should be inaugurated at once,
a premium list adopted, advertising
and correspondence commonwealth
of which would seriously interfere
with the work of the Secretary. lie
aud his clerical force are now over
workcd-with the business of the
Board daily increasing. His Office has
become statistical and immigration
bureau, with largely increased facili-
ties for accomplishing a great work,
The Centennial Exhibition has placed
the Board in correspondence with
boards of trade. agricultural stations,
technical schools, Industrial associa-
tions, boards of emigration, etc., of
the forty foreign Nations exhibiting
at Philadelphia, with facileties for
making exchanges of publications and
products. This furnishes a rare OPP
portunity for reaching, with the sta
tistical work Of the Board and our
cereal and other vegetable grow tbs,
the great centers of population in the
old world-an unequaled opportunity
to make known the produ cts, ressurces
possibilities and progress of our State.
There are thousands in the eastern
States with ample capital, restless for
investment, who are making Kansas
the focus of thought and correspon-
dence, This should be handled with
judgment, promptness, and fidelity.
1t is being done through the satisfac-
tory machinery of the Secretary's
Office. To permit the work of State
fair to interfere with important work
of this character would be, in the
judgment of your committee, suicidal
to the most vital interests of the State.
Your committee desire to call atten-
ton to the fact that Kansas, unlike
most western States, has no board of
immigration, and that all work of this
character devolyes upon the Secre-
tary of this Board.
AS part of this work, monthly re-
ports will be issued, accompan ied
with maps and diagrams, which will
contain condensed reports of the pro-
gress OF agriculture in the several
counties, the condition of crops and
stock, prices current, statistical ex-
hibits of various kinds for distribu-
ton throughout the State, and to
place them in the hands of the inquir-
ing thousands whs are looking toward
Kansas for future homes and invest
ments. This statistical work from
month to month, will eliminate at the
end of the year in an annual report,
which of itself demands great labor,
which should not be interfered with |
by extraneous work.
JOHN KELLY, Chairman.
r. w. JENKINS.
WIN. SIMS.
" p POPENOE