The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-05
The Convention Dsapproyes the Proposed
Change In the Location Of the State Fair
Grounds-New Members Elected.
The Board Decides to Have Expert
Judges Only at the Next State Fair.
Democratic Politicians Try to Control the
Boards Election, but the Proposed Benei-
ciary Of Their Scheming is Defeated.

attending the convention Of the Delegate State
Board of Agriculture yesterday; hence, the time
to have been used oy them in addresses was de-
voted to other matters that were assigned fur
Their along on the programme. The principal
topic thus brought mp arose in report from r.
NJ. Lockhardt, of DeKalb county, relative to
farmers Institutes. It favored the organization
of these bodies, as he had found them. on close
observation in Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. to
be OF great practical benefit In regular meet
ings Of county or district organizations .
large amount Of valuable Information, en-
bracing all branches Of agriculture, is obtained.
The report caused q long discussion, in which
the views it set forth were sustained by ma
jority of the delegates. 1t led to an adoption Of
resolution instructing the State board to pro-
vide for institute in each district during the
year. The benefits to be derived from the sys-
tenn will, it is thought, move the Legislature 10
make liberal appropriation for it's support
The danger to the cattle industry Of the coun--
try threatened by pleuro pneumonia was dis
cussed on the presentation of preamble and
resolution, which were adopted. in regard to the
Palmer bill, recently introduced in the United
States Senate. The bill is Endorsed by the Con-
solidated Cattle-growers Association Of Amer
lea, which, as the preamble states. regards
it as ''the only adequate measure ever devised
for the swift and sure stamping-out of the insid-
ious disease" The resolution committed the
convention and State Board Of Agriculture to
its Endorsement, with the earnest request that
the Indiana delegation in Congress will give the
measure hearty support
resolution adopted in tho afternoon
urging the Legislature to make o more liberal
provision for the purchase of agricultural books
for the State Library, and after that the COM
mittee the Mayors address made report
1t approved all of his suggestions except that
relating to a change of the State fair grounds.
The committee thought the purchase Of the ad-
ditional twenty acres was o judicious invest
ment, and recommended the location be retained
until there should be q demand for more room.
The report met the views of the delegates, as
they unanimously approved them. In the report
Of the committee on the Presidents address.
be spent in increasing the speeding
facilities of the grounds. and this also was ap-
proved, showing that while the delegates would
not favor a change in location at this time, they
wanted the raee-s track extended instead of being
at its present length. A mile track, it is urged,
will induce the owners of fine and fast horses to
come to the fair, which they will not do so long
as the track remains only half mile in length.
But the idea in regard to obtaining grounds that
will benefit the shippers by increasing their
shipping facilities has not been abandoned, and
it is likely to be put in more definite form before
long.
elecLlOn Vac3ucl6S
the State board was more spirited than usual,
especially concerning the candidates in the
Fourteenth district L. B. Custer wanted to be
reelected. but he carried into the contest leg
islative record that did not satisfy the farmers.
In the last General Assembly they had q bill in
troduced providing for 300 licenses on theaters,
which they expected to realize considerable as
distance in promoting agricultural interests.
Custer was the Representative from Cass, and,
it is said, pledged his support to the bill, but q
theatrical LOganSDOFt t0leQrADh0d
him to oppose it, chs. and ca he did. It
views relative to exhibits Of Florida products
sent to the State fair last year. He had them
denied entry, SO his opponents say. They
by two votes over James A. McCiung, OF Fulton
county. who defeated him yesterday. Robert
Mitchell, of Gibson, for the First Girard Reiter.
Harrison for the Third District, were elected
without opposition. In the Fourth, w B. Sew
ard, of Monroe. for reelection, defeated Commo-
dore Riggs. and Samuel Dinsmore. who
against the 81 cast for Mr. Seward.
ss ebsnS from ho, the made ss Ss Sls
they declining to serve. s. w. DUNCAN. of John
SON. was elected by 40 votes, over Fielding
Beeler and J. E. McGaughey. of Marion, the
first receiving 10 and the second votes For
the Fourteenth district member James A. Nc
Chung got "a votes TO Is cast for L. B. Custer.
As 4 member from she Sixteenth district I. N:
cast for his opponent, Orlando Kimall. OF Noble.
To fill the unexpirsd term Of Will A. Greer, in |
the Fifth district d. Officer, Of Jefferson, was
elected over James N. Wynn, of Jennings. the |
latter receiving 81 votes to the So cast for |
Officer. The State board will be organized to- |
day.
Robert Mitchell opened tho discussion relative |
to the one-judge system being preferable to the |
use of three judges in making awards. He read |
an editorial from the Breeders' Gazette. which
he said expressed his views much better than he |
could give them. They were decidedly against |
the domination Of picked up committees, which |
were generally incompetent, but upon tteir de-
cision depended the reputation OF cattle breed /
ers. Ignorance and downright dishonesty pre- |
vailed in many Of these committees. The one
judge system was expensive, but the returns
The opinions given OF this subject all favored
having the one-expert-judge rule established.
:. L; thompson. OF Grant county. said that IN
mittees satisfactory, but at the State fairs ex-
hibitors suffered through them, their judg-
at the Illinois State fair to great extent, where
the judges. taken from other departments,
made the business . farce He thought he
about but
in the Illinois fair he found he
knew nothing, for incompatens umpire.
turned the decision be would have made ev-
cry instance His colleague afterwards acknowl-
ed ged that he knew nothing about merino wool,
but he was told what sheep came from Ohio, for |
the exhibits of which State it had been
ranged 20 award the premiums. In another in
stance q grocer was selected as umpire TO decide
between the judgments of o cattle breeder and |
wool man, who had been selected to pass upon
sheep. The umpire went at it hitor-miss,
and was likely to call bad sheep |
excellent, and good sheep bad Once
there was q committee of nine cattle. each
member favoring his particular breed. The
three breeds got premiums He had eve
that took first premium as the New York State
'air. and shipped il to the fair ia Illinois. The
judges-one . cattle man and the other breeder
cf sheep-paid no attention TO his animal He |
learned that the two judges went
from fair to fair working in esch others inter
ssts. ThiA was his knowledge of picked-up
committees, 90 which he preferred the expert
Judge who was better than o dozen incom-
petent men.
G. b. Stewart. OF Tippecanoe county, was OPP
posed 20 the one judge, but favored having ex-
perts. He believed. hover, that the one judge.
z he is an expert. will be generally used before |