The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-18
THE STATE FAIR.


1t is quite time that the business
men of this city were getting busy
with plans to do their share in i'm
pressing upon the members of the
legislature the necessity for the es-
adjustment of a real state fair in
Kansas and also for its location at
the city of Topeka. From now on,
the business men of the city, in fact,
all of the men in this locality, should
use every possible effort, and
through concerted action, to bring
these things about. Surely the time
is ripe for legislative action making
good substantial appropriations for
the creation of a state fair. Indeed,
the time has been long since ripe.
How it is that Kansas, agricultural
queen that she is, has never had a
fair Of commensurate proportions
with the position that she holds in
the agricultural and horticultural
world, which has been established
and supported by the state, is as in
applicable as it is mysterious. 1t
would assuredly be a matter for
laughter if it were not such a serious
one Kansas is renowned for her lib
era1 treatment of educational in
situations and yet she has been sadly
negligent in providing state fair an
institution whose educational adj
vantages to an agricultural people
cannot well be measured. That an
appropriation for state fair, and a
large one, too, will be forthcoming at
the session of the legislature, but a
couple of months distant can almost
be taken for granted.
Next in Importance to this is the
Of faiT And q n
can well say that this, the capital city
of the commonwealth, is the ideal
place for it. Surely there is not a
locality in the state that can boast of
such ample and adequate fair grounds
as the ones already in existence in
Shawnee county. There can be little |
doubt that these, having an immense
intrinsic value because of their near
location to the very heart of the city, |
would be generously decided to the
state if it decided to hold its fair
here. They are really unsurpassed
for exposition purposes. They are not
by any means a big barren stretch of
land with a race course in the CEN |
ter of them as are a good many fair
grounds. There are groves of large
trees on two sides of them which |
make them peculiarly attrac-
tive and serviceable. They are plenti- |
fully supplied with water. AS a mat |
ter of fact it would be difficult to find |
exposition grounds any place which |
are so perfectly adapted for all the |
purposes demanded of them
Topeka, has unrivaled railroad ser |
vice with four large railroad systems |
tapping it and one of which has spur |
tracks right into the fair grounds. |
Topeka also has incompatible hotel |
accommodations for the handling of
large crowds. In fact, Topeka, with |
her fair grounds, presents facilities |
unequaled by any other place in Kan
sas for the location of the state fair,
and this is not said in disparagement |
of other cities in Kansas who e. III be |
bidders to become the state ex-
POSITIONS home.
And it behooves Topekans to get |
together and work with might and |
main for the founding of the state
fair in this city. The task should not
be difficult in view of the material |
with which they have to work, nor
should it be a hard job to convince
honest minded legislators, or a COM
mission, if the matter is left to one,
of the righteousness of Topeka's
claims as being the proper place for
the great exposition.