Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-06-29
TIE STATE FAIR.

The appropriations Of the last legis
lature for the state fair were:
State Board Of Agriculture--$1000 900 on
Printing aud binding IL, iO4 9o
Building, fencing, etc-------- ll,4lo w
Total al-----------------$37 ,5l9 30
The legislature of 1891 appropriated
as follows:
State Board of Agriculture O,OO0 OO
Printing and binding---~---- l2,O7 AZ
The item of printing and binding in
cludes expense OF premium lists and
tickets for the two district fairs.
These are very liberal appropriations
for the state fair, all things considered
In Oregon. The annual gate receipts
have been from five to seyen Thousand
dollars. At an average of six thousan'
q year for gate receipts, which Is low
and not counting what is received a.
entry fees, rents from stalls, ETC., tht
fair has had In four years Ss5,OOo In
come. The total income If complete
balance sheet of each item could be had
would amount TO net sum OF twenty
TO twenty-five thousand q year paid b!
the people.
When the farmer goes there with
sheep, COW or horse he must pay ~ Il
So entry fee, as much more for stall,
as much more for a season ticket, AZ
much more for feed, and take his ex
penses for the week, only the rich can
afford to exhibit. II there is no COM
petition he can get premium but no
award Of money for his exhibit
The result of this system has been
that .about one or two trials cures
any farmer of ever exhibiting again.
With the horse racing department there
is greater liberality and every attention
is shown In this field. 1t may be said
that the race department has been well
kept up, kept up ahead Of everything
else and probably at the expense of
everything else.
The state fair grounds are as fine as
any in the Northwest. The improve
ments are all that any state could be
asked to provide. What Is wanted now,
with this magnificent plant, and with
the means at hand, lisa creditable enter
prislng management of the fair, to en-
sure its permanent existence at Salem,
and to foster the agricultural interests
Of the state.
The Salem Statesman puts on owllsh
airs and says:
His alleged facts are open falsehoods.
The only money appropriated by the
state for the fair is $4,000, which sum Is
annually set apsrt and used only for
premiums upon entries OF products
This money all goes back among the
people of the state from whom IL came.
This Is the only money appro priated
and ls called the premium fund.
The appropriations for the state are
ms above stated, and the Statesman
knows 1t. A few thousand dollars of
the money are used for printing for the
two district fairs. The Statesman itself
had items showing what an utter fail
ure the fair was last year. There were
some reasons for 1t. II was dthe panic
year. Still the fair was not even good
fair for panic year. 1t did not do Jus.
tice to Oregon prosperity aud Oregon
agriculture. The fact that the present
manager OF the Statesman is secretary
of the fair at $40 a month should not
close his eyes TO the danger of the state
fair going into "jnnocuous desuetude."
Yet that Ia the danger, that that mag
nifcent fair grounds aud buildings will
be abandoned and deserted entirely to
the owls and bats unless popular inter.
eat can be awakened in II by more
energetic management. A secretary
at $3.50 a month, with good aides, who
has no other bueIness on his hands for
the next three months but TO make
that fair success, would be none too
great stlmulus.to the fair. A cowslip
at $40 a month, taking a
few OF his spare moments from the
managing editorship of great news
paper. cannot be held responsible In a
critical time for the success OF the fair.
It would be none too good II he put all
his time toit. No one viii hold him
responsible. But the people are going
10 hold some one responsible. They
demand that at least rouslng rustic
DO made, that the state fair does not be-
come q magnificent ruin.
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