The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-07-30

How State FOard CT agriculture
and EXICslicn Are FO,med and
Controlled by I0dianlanS.
GROUNDS OWREDBY THE PEOPLE

Board, Subject 10 Laws Of Lealsls-
ture - How Farmers and Breeders
Name Members Of the Board - The
Purposes Of the State Fair.
The Indiana state Board Of Agricul-
'ure Is organizing the fiftysiNth State
Fair. and during the week OF Sept 6
the exposition VIII be- the center OF in
torosi for the people from the farms
as we'll as from towns and cities. I'm
der the Law which created it, and un-
der which the state BOARD has oper-
atcd since 1851 thc fair belongs to the
people of Indiana. as cs all the prop
cIt, ia tho boards possession. The
Indiana state roard OF Agriculture.
the organized force which conducts
the fair cannot sell or dispose OF the
exposition grounds mortgage or en-
cumbor the prC perty or issue bonds
against ~ without the consent OF the
Legislature The board holds all of the
property controlled by il in trust for
the benefit Of the people Of the state,
the fact THAI The pa
per title is in The board
The membership Of the board comes
directly fro.A the agricultural element
OF tbe state IL is the farmers and
livestock breeders who organize and
.,. ~, L.,.. ,liro 81. ont,,rt, md dfetrf a. 2
fair and agricultural societies OF In
diana. and the president OF these
societies. representing the farming
classes Of their communities. elect
the members Of the state Board OF
Agriculture These members are elect.
ed at the annual meeting held at the
state house in January of each year.
The State Board is made up OF six
teen members and for convenience
and following the plan Of all such
state organi .ations. Indiana is divided
into sixteen agricultural districts sim
LAR to the congressional districts. The
BOARD so elected selects president
and vice pr ident from its own mem
bership. cha .ging these officers every
var A secretary, treasurer. and a
general superintendent are also elect
ed. being chosen for their personal
qualifications The other members OF
the board occupy an advisory capa
city. and during the period OF the fair
they serve as supern ntendents OF the
departments This plan OF organiza
ton for the board was evolved by
Governor Joseph A Wright and rec
commended by him TO the legislature
OF 1851. after the State Board had for
several wears been managed by a com
mission of FIVE members who received
their appointment at the hands OF the
governor The members have absO
lutely no personal interest in the prop
erty OF The board or its receipts, their
sole ambition is 70 conduct a high
class fair
II is conHnon for a member 10 con
tinue in the service OF the board for
a number ~ years. for as time goes
by his experience as a department
manager makes him Of increasing
value TO the fair Yet the personnel
OF the board Is constantly changing
through the retirement II gray-haired
members because Of long service. with
fresh blood coming on the board from
the county and distrct agricultural
societies There are very few mem.
hers on the state Board this year who
held membership ten years ago
The state Fair is far from being a
source OF financial gain for the men
who have to carry the burden Of its
responsible les. member attends
two sessions of ihe board a year, the
longest period OF the sessions being
while the fair is in preparation and in
actual operation and the other period
Is two or three days at the annual
meeting In January He receives s. a
day while attending board meetings
his railroad fare and hotel expenses
This Is the only pay which comes q
him for a wears service. The only
salaried officers of the board are the
secretary aud treasurer The secre
tary gives his time to the business OF
the board and to the exposition
throughout ihc year
The state 2oard of Agriculture Is
non.politiDal ASS cation. and will al
WAYS utiiuc 20 be as long as the
present method ~ choosing the mem
bers Is followed The members man
aging the boards affairs have but one
purpose ia view. and that Is TO conduct
a great agricultural. horticultural. live
stock and mechanical exposition fol
the advancement VI these interests
throughout he state. While q is no
the purpose Of the board TO conduc'
the State Fair for the making Of mon
ey. yet il Is always desirable that tn
exposition each year shall not be con
ducted at loss For the last ter
v>.ra the Indiana Fair has been verl