The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-05
TURN IT OVER TO STATE
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE PROJECT
IN REGARD TO ANNUAL FAIR.
Governor Mount Discusses the Rush
from the Farm to the City
nominations.

| StatehOuSe with ABOUT q hundred leauluS
farmers and stockraisers of the State in
attendance. The chief interest centered in
the sessions of the State Board of Agri-
culture, although the wool growers, the
| cattle men and the civil engineers also held
meetings.
| The state board began its session with
welcome address from Mayor Taggart, who
| spoke highly of the state fair held last fall.
| The president of the board, c. b. Harris,
being absent in Japan, where he is a United
| States consul, w. w. Stevens, of Salem,
presided over the meeting. Mr.. Harris, de-
| spite his absence, sent his annual address,
which was read. 1t contained a number of
| timely suggestions, not the least of which
| was one relating to the carrying out of the
| programme advertised at the fair. ''The
board must see said Mr.. Harris, ''that the
attractions are all shown as advertised. Any
deviation from the programme is cause for
the public losing confidence in the fair. 1t
is necessary for the board to see to it in the
future that every promise is fulfilled to the
letter.
SURRENDERING TO THE STATE.
Mr.. Harris preached the subject of sur
| rendering the rights of the board as a pri-
vate corporation to the State. The Supreme
Court has held that the board is a private
enterprise and there is feeling that the
usefulness of the organization is impaired
on this account. The board is now wholly
out of debt and many members believe that
the time has come when the State should
be made responsible for the success of the
state fair Mr.. Harris therefore makes the
suggestion that the board surrender it's
rights as private corporation with per-
petual succession, at the next meeting of
the Legislature. He also recommends that
in amending the law organizing the board
the present method of electing members be
maintained, that the terms of members be
| increased from two to four years and that
the president hold office for two, instead
Of one year.
Mr.. Harris also recommended the erection
of a large mechanical building between the
| administration building and the grand stand,
| the floor of which is to be of Portland
| cement He thought exhibitors should be
charged for space in this proposed struc-
ture. Stalls should be made under the
grand stand thought the president, and
also a half-mile track constructed around
| the speed barns for logging the horses An
other recommendation favored the purchase
of the state fair grounds, which are now
| only leased. The interest on the borrowed
money, thought the president, would be less
than the rental charges II am glad, con-
| has thoroughly washed the fair grounds of
! the pollution received from false shows and
disreputable concerns and gambling de-
vices. The address was referred to "a COM
mittee, which will make a report this morn
| ing.
A great amount Of routine business was
| transacted after the presidents address was
! finished. The larger part of this had refer
| ence to reports made by the various heads
| of departments of the fair. Secretary Ken
nedy showed that the receipts for the year
had been S57 .20S.l6, of which amount $4,000
was the state appropriation. and $29,O77.2 30
hn nn GO nff lynfc
expenditures amounted to S55,557S5 leaving
balance in the treasury of 81 SOL. The re-
ceipts of the speed department were $l2,-
$780, and the expenditures. So, 1850.
GOVERNOR MOUNTS ADDRESS,
Governor Mount delivered the leading adj
dress at the afternoon session. The Gov
error spoke at length on the subject of the
gravtation of the farm population to the
cities He said that the farmers are in
cined to talk farming down to their boys
and that the tendency of the public educa-
tlonal system seems to be away from the
farm. Said he:
1.-The moral, intellectual and scientific pro-
visions are not lacking, but the agricultural
instruction has been too long neglected.
Thousands of dollars are annually spent in
research among Greek and Latin roots in
learning how to translate, and comparative
ly nothing is expended in telling how to
translate, through plant-roots the elements
of soil fertility into abundant harvests and
delicious fruits, thus supplying our needs
and blessing the land. Do not understand
ire as opposing higher education. 1 am in
favor Of the broadcast kind of education,
but | want turner's educated in the science
| of agriculture as We'll There is practically
| no instruction as to how crops grow, the
| elements of plant food they require, how to
| conserve and how TO restore those ele-
ments to the soil. These bedrock principles
| of successful agriculture are but little UNI
| derstood There is little or nothing in the
| textbooks of our schools to interest chill
dren in nature study, and yet there is much
| in plant life that would prove both inter-
| esting and profitable"
| TEACH CHILDREN AGRICULTURE.
The Governor quoted President Smart, of
Purdue, on the subject of introducing a
| text book upon agriculture in the rural
| schools, if one can be found, and if not
the introduction of properly prepared leaf
| let's on nature study. Prof. Smart says
| that he proposes TO prepare at the expense
| Of the university leaflets on the subjects
| of economic botany and nature study,
! economic entomology and horticulture ami
NAL industry including the dairy. veterin-
airy science and household economy. Super
| intendent Geeting informed the Governor
| that he is in full accord with Prof. Smart's
| idea. In closing the Governor said:
Il hope, gentlemen, you will indorSe DR..
| Smart 5 offer L believe 1t will inaugurate
| a new interest in agriculture. "A few days
| ago l appointed Professor Troop, of Pur-
was no statute providing for such an APP
pointment, but the unWritten law of neces-
| sity it seemed to me, justified the act. This
necessity emphasizes the need of inStruc-
| ton in entomology. When we shall have
! learned to properly appreciate agriculture
| and accord to this vocation it's merited
! honor then will we magnify our calling
| and increase our self-respect, when the
| farmer realizes that the mind is the inn
| portant factor leading to success. then will
| he cultivate reasoning powers. Books and
| papers will be multiplied. modern improve
! ments will find their way into the farm
| home. Then comfort, beauty and attraction
will be found in rural dwellings,. intellectual
| and social Improvement Will follow The
/ tide will then be turned from the city to
| the farm. The young man will see posi-
| bilities for as grand success on the farm
as are offered in any of the business or
| professional pursuits. i hope. in your wis
| DOM you will realize the need of taking
! this initiatory step looking to the advance
EX-GOVERNOR ON CATTLE INTER
ESTS.
! Ex-Governor Matthews followed Governor
| Mount with few remarks on the cattle
interests of the State. He had not expected
| to speak and was unprepared to make an
extended address. He said that his predi-
lections were for the red, white and roam,
the shorthorn colors. But this statement
failed to bring out the ideas of the o. her
breeders present and the expected discussion
did not materialze.
Nominations were called for to fill the va
cancies in the eight districts, the terms of
whose representatives expired this year. For