Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-12-31
THE STATE FAIR.
! S I

THE STATE FAIR.
Minnesota has the greatest state fair in the
country, and yet at the present time there is a
hot contest on among the board of managers
with charges and countercharges of graft.
Certain Legislators received pay for time they
put in at the fair this year, and Mr.. Furlong,
who is prominent candidate for president, re-
ceived pay at least expenses while he was
securing the appropriation for the grand stand
last winter. Yetit appears to us that all these
charges are very petty, for they for small
amounts, and at the most are only technical
violations of the law, and are expenditures
which would be allowed by private concern.
The state fair occupies a very peculiar
situation According to supreme court de-
cision, it is department of the state govern
ment, and yet it is answerable to neither the
people to the governor. It's funds are
neither received nor disbursed by the state
treasurer, but it's finances and all other features
of it's business are handled by board of manag-
with it's own officers. The public examiner
examines it's books and the legislature makes
appropriations for it and makes some laws for
its government, but in all other respects it is
separate organlAatlou
The complaint is made that it is a close
corporation, and this is very largely true. It's
board of managers are elected at an annual
meeting made up of delegates from the county
fair associations. AS county fair associations
are made up largely of the same people from
year to year, and as the persons who take an
interest in the state fair are about the same
from year to year, it naturally results that about
the same delegates are elected, and at the an
nual meeting the powers that be have things
pretty much their own way. Therefore so long
as the present basis of representation and sys-
tenn of government is used, so long will the
state fair continue to be pretty much of close
corporation.
We confess that we have not sufficient in
genuity to suggest some other plan of organ
ization which would be workable. It is al
together out of the question to turn the fair
over to board appointed by the governor with
the certainty of radical changes every two or
four years, and with the certainty also of poll
tics becoming large element in it's manage
ment. It is also out of the question to have
the fair governed by an elective board, for then
many would gain voice in it's management
who would have intelligent or genuine in
terest in it's success. The success of the state
fair of county fairs must depend primarily
on the public spirited men who take an interest
in advancing the agricultural welfare of the
state. Under the present system, these men
soon come to have voice in state fair manage
ment, and if they stay there year after year, it
is because they belong there. These men who
take an interest in it are the who should
run the fair, and are the ones who have made
1t success in the past.
Now word as to the present contest It is
contest among the insiders, and it is fair to
presume that both factions are largely made up
of men interested in the success of the fair. In
spite of the stories of petty irregularities, we
do not believe that either faction is composed
of grafters, but some of them m ay be trying to
unduly further their personal ambitions
Therefore SO long as the insurgents" announce
no program for advancing the interests of the
fair, we can see no advantage in changing from
the ones who have made the fair such signal
success