Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-08
STATE FAIR OFFICIALS ANSWER
CRITICISM OF DIES MONIES
MANUFACTURERS.
PREMIUMS FOR MACHINERY
ABANDONED BY REQUEST
Manufacturers Found System Of Giving
Prizes Was Not Just-Exhibits Lare-
err Than When Premiums Were Of.
fered-Raiiroads Blamed for Flood
ing of Farms.
Special to Times-Republican.

special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, July S.-Members of the
Des Moines Manufa cturers Associa-
ton are ignorant of the conditions
which caused all fairs to abolish the
idea of giving premiums on manufac-
tured articles, and may be ignorant Of
the fact that the fairs at one time gave
such premiums, according to friends
Of the Iowa state fair
4 don't know who these people are
who are criticizing US for not giving
premiums on manufactured articles
said Secretary Simpson today They
seem 10 be members of the manufac-
turers' association but they nave new
er rented any space a the state fair
on which 10 make an exhibit. They
better make exhibits and do the best
they can under the present clrcum-
stances and show real interest in
the fair before they begin 10 kick. And
the chances are they can't get any
space now because there has been such
a demand Tor space that we have but
little left
III liit 4llSl p-dCe llItN SHOW some
ignorance Of affairs by talking abou,
the State Agricultural Society The
state fair is under the mana cement of
the state department of agriculture
which is a department of the state
government the same as the railroad
commission or secretary Of states of
fce is. In the second place We used to
give premiums a good many years ago
and stopped il as did all other fairs
/ on the request of the manufacturers
! themselves. II was unsatisfactory.
There is no standard Of perfection for
manufactured articles as there is for
livestock and other things Two wag-
ons may have equal merit and might
prefer one and YOU the other"
n S ketchum. of Marshalltown.
who many years ago was director Of
the Iowa department of agriculture
and as such participated in the man
agement of the fair used to have
charge of the manufacturers and ma
chinery exhibit. 1T was always unsat-
isfactory 10 give premiums" said Mr..
ketchum. There was no standard TO
Judge by and so the giving of pre-
miunls came 70 be a matter of who
had the biggest pull Premiums on
manufactured articles such as iraple-
ments and -four is entirely impracti-
cable"
The exhibits Of manufactured ar
ticles is every year increasing at the
Iowa. state fair. The fair is very much
| in need Of a manufacturers building
and this will probably be the next per-
manent Improvement of an extensive
nature that will be erected on the
grounds. The fair is also much in need
of more ground space for the manu-
facturies and implements. The state
board of agriculture took members of
| The legislature out to see the grounds
and tried to impress them with the
fact that more ground was needed but
were not able 10 properly impress
| them. Many of the larger implement
concerns are now erecting buildings
/ for their own exhibits. These will all
be permanent Improvements of brick
and steel but for the smaller con-
building which will be steel shed
| with roof and open sides. 1t will have
| to be a quarter of a mile long or more
but can be built in sections. The ma
! chinery exhibit this year will be much
stronger than that Of last year and in
fact will be probably the best the
4 state ever had There will be more
of the farm machinery that the farm
er is interested in than at any future
time. SO
Complaints are reaching the railroad