The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-28
Whitesville.
ANOTHER DEFENSE.
"Auti-Hayseed" Comes to the Relief OF the
Board.

To THE EDIToR-Sir: Your correspond
ent, "Hayseed," whose communication
was published in last Mondays issue of
THE SENTINEL, in trying to.make a case
against the state board of agriculture, and
TO boost the house bill looking to a recon-
struction of said board, shows himself to
be entirely ignorant of the facts about
which he attempts to enlighten the pub
lie. In answer to the inquiries, which he
wishes the legislature to institute, the
writer of this will say:
The state board has. with the assistance
of the good people of the state, brought to-
g-ther MANY creditable exhibits at its an
nual fairs. as creditab.e as those of any of
the adjoining states.
The board has not allowed politics to
enter into the selection OF its officers
farther than to give each political party it's
fair share of them. The newly elected
secretary has been identified with agri-
culture" and is known to the agricultural
and live stock interests of the state, hav-
ing been secretary and in other WAYS con-
nected with he Huntington county agri-
cultural society for sixteen years.
When the recent improvements were
made in the fair grounds the expense ac-
count did tally with the treasurer's books,
and if "Mr. Hayseed" or any other per-
son desires to examine these books the
writer is informed that the board and its
officers will take great pleasure in afford
ing him the opportunity to do so.
The books do not show that called
meetings of the board have been unseem-
ly frequent and for insufficient CAUSES"
On the contrary the board holds only two
meetings per year, one, the annual meet
ing, and the other to make up the pre-
MUM list end make the usual prepare
tiOns for the state fair.
The board does not remain in the
city several days." but only long enough
TO properly transact the business that
called it together.
The board is not "self-perpetuating
It's members do not even have vote in
the selection of their successors, who are
selected by the delegates sent TO the an
nual meeting by the various county and
district agricultural societies of the
state.
The bill which has been presented to
the house of representatives for the recon-
struction of the stare board and which
"Hayseed' desires to see passed by the
legislature Ia the crudest, weakest and
most inconsistent ever presented to a
legislature. For instance, under its pro-
visions all the members OF the "board of
control" may be selected from Marion or
any other county which contains prom
inent members of the various associa-
tions.
Again, this bill provides that bills for
the per diem and other expenses of the
board shall be audited by the auditor of
state, and upon his warrant paid by the
trpaanror nj gtafa ont Of any mOnaya that
may be in the treasury for agricu tural
purposes, and at the same time does not
provide for a dollar to be placed in the
treasury of the state which he is not re-
quired 10 pay the treasurer of the board.
But these and many other weak points in
the bill are so apparent that more of your
valuable space need not be taken to point
them out. ANTI-HAYsEED.
Jan. 20.