The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-28
HE STATE BOARD.
President Davidson Defends It Against
"Hayseed's' or ticism.

sHayseed's" or ticisTn.
To THE EDIToR-Sr: In your issue of
Jan. 10, over the nom deplume of Hay
seed" l notice some innuendoes and state
ments that NAV mislead the unwary. He
says the public has decided that the state
fair is practically a failure; also, that it
always will be under the management OF
the present self-perpetuating board.
In answer to this sweeping assertion 1
would ask, Who elects this board? Many
may believe that all members have TO do
is to vote for themselves and for each
other. Now the fact is a member has no
vote except ne be appointed as delegate
from his own local fair association. Who
else are the voters for members OF the
board? The president of each county or
district fair association or some one dele
gated by him 10 act in his stead. Under
certain conditions they are required to
meet at the agricultural rooms at the
state-house the first Tuesday after the first
Monday of January of each year to elect
eight members of the board TO serve
for two years
We ask all candid men and the men,
bers of the general assembly to examine
the annual report and see who are the
delegates and how often they are changed
by their local societies. Examine closely
whether they are representative men in
go standing as citizens of the state. See
If they are not men who represent nearly
all the industries and are progressive and
practical business men. Now, in query
No s, this "Hayseed" intimates that the
delegates received pay from members for
railroad fares and hotel bills 10 get their
votes. | appeal to the delegate board to
resent this insult to their integrity by in
sistIng that their representatives in both
houses Investigate the work of the board
for the last ten years. LET the books be
opened" See, as charged. if theirs was
ever a members hotel bill paid out Of the
fund. Learn if there has been a single
meeting called not contemplated by
law. Learn when recent improvements
were made whether the expense account
tallies with the treasurrr's books. Learn
from the books that when the National
sborihOTn breeders donated sum of
! money to be used as premiums to develop
the dairy feature OF their breed, the
| board did in 1889 open such a ring, and
the result was just one COW offered for an
exhibit. The reports viii! show that for
the last ten wears there has been a steady
, increase of entries to the extent that four
years ago the board was compelled to pur-
chase twenty acres more land to make
room for the exhibits and a large in
, creased attendance. The land SO pur-
chased has increased more than three-fold
In value since that time. A close investi-
cation will show that the board has paid
Out more money for buildings and other
necessary improvements within the last
four years than the state has paid on her
appropriations. The election of members
on the board has never hinged
of politics, nor has the board
been organized on political grounds.
Ii is well known that a democrat was
elected president three years ago and was
reelected by the board-it having a re-
publican majority both years. 1t is also
known that the secretary was democrat
and was elected by the same board. At
the January meeting three new members
were elected. ali of whom are practical
farmers; two having succeeded men that
were not farmers. The secretary proved
to be democrat and was elected on the
sixth ballot over his four competitors,
three of whom are republicans. This was
done by board composed of eleven re-
publicans and five democrats. "Hayseed"
had better come out in the open sunlight
or go back to the soil where be belongs.
JASPER n. DAVIDSON.
WhiteSVille. Ind. Jan. 20