The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-01
FROM MIR. SAMSON.
Secretary of State Fair Replies to Mr..
e. Sturdy.

Charles H. Samson.- secretary OF
the Topeka state fair, raises objec-
lions to the statements made by Mr-
E. Sturdy, of Bradford, that the fair
associations pay more attention and
money to the race horse men than
to the live stock men and farmers,
"When this Mr.. Sturdy says that ne
would like to see the horsemen put
on the same basis as the breeders and
to let them put up some OF their
own money to quote from his state
ments. he is making assertions, so
far as thte Topeka state fair is con-
cerned, that are absolutely ridiculous
and which prove that Mr.. Sturdy does
not know what he is talking about
eff it were not for the racing we
could have no fair in Topeka ana
were it not for the racing we couldn t
pay the breeders of live stock and the
farmers one cent in premiums. The
horse races make the fair financial
success, not the live stock, and FUR
thermore the race horse owners pay
every cent which goes to them in
purses The fair management does
not have to put up solitary, single
penny to pay the race purses and
stakes but we do have to put up the
money for the premiums on live stock
and agricultural exhibits. The big
crowds pay to see the races
For the fair races in Topeka last
September the owners of the harness
horses paid into the treasury of the
fair $4,000 in cash and We paid out
to the horsemen in stakes and purses
$500. Can the stockmen and farm
ers shows any such balance on the
same side of the fair ledger for their
part?
For instance, take the 2:35 pace
The stake for that race was $1,000
The entries had to be made on or be-
fore July 1 and with each entry on
that date the owner entering horses
had to pay three per cent of the ST.
600 on each horse entered ON Sep
1,.a 70. lx a
a payment this time two per cent
of the total of the stake or the horse
could not start. These are the rules
of the American Trotting association
under which the Topeka fair races are
given. Then the horses inside the
money, that is the first, second, third
and fourth horses in the race. each
had to pay five per cent of the Win
the horsemen paid into the treasury
$1,000 and we paid back to the four
winning horsemen $1,000 This is the
way of each harness race. The 2:4o
$1,000 The three-year-old trot paid
in $3.50 and we paid out $500. Do
the stock men want to be placed on
this basis?
s'People who know nothing about
how a fair and the race meets are
carried on are apt to make unjust
criticisms, as has this Mr.. Sturdy. He
thinks that when the man who ex-
a pen OIL HOSS pays 81 ACiib AOA
the pen that he is being held up to
make the money to pay the racing
men. Mr.. Sturdy says the horsemen
get their stalls free and that the hog
and cattle and horsemen have to pay
for their stalls. The racing men pay
81 for each stall and put up their own
money to race for. The horsemen
ought to ask that they be placed on
the same basis as the stock exhib
itors and the horsemen do ask this
and they are agitating now, all over
the country, that a decided change
in the system be made. The men
with horses, hogs and cattle and other
exhibits pay no entrance fee and only
pay stall rent.
IF we depended on the horses. cat
tie and hogs and agricultural exhibits
to draw the money into the fair we
could not open the gates. / am maxi
ing no criticism and not casting any
slur On the stockmen- I am a stock
man myself and have horses and cat
tie and no one enjoys the live stock