The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-17

young and old, city and country folks
alike. Compare the cost of main
tanning such a school with the amount
actually expended by a state for it's
fair and the fair becomes a paragon
of cheapness as well as utility. Only
week before last Kansas had the
honor of furnishing both the grand
champion and the reserve grand
champion steers at the international
show.
These steers were fed at your
agricultural college under the super
vision of a former Iowa man. Pro-
fessor r. ]. Kinzer. whose education
and training was received at the Iowa
Agricultural college and at the Iowa
state fair. He was formerly assistant
superintendent of cattle at our fair
and has been a judge several times.
do not believe that Professor Kinzer
would ever have become the expert
he is, with that keen touch and
trained eye, had he stopped with his
college course and not become con-
slant visitor and participant at the
great live stock shows. But few peo-
pie realize the high relative position
which a properly conducted fair
should occupy among educational in
situations.
Must Have Worthy Purpose.
There should be a worthy pur-
pose in every fair. sThere must be a
beneficial object in view. Those who
undertake the management of fair
without well Defined Ideas of the sub
thinking only of adding another de-
partment to the political machine or
the creation of places for impecunfous
politicians, will meet with speedy
disappointment. Loftier aims than
these must rule. The old saying so
commonly expressed in connection
with a public officei'two terms and
out or if it Is good thing pass 1t
around should have no standing with
reference to the management of fair
If you desire to be successful. 1t is
not practiced in your own affairs and
the same common sense management
applied to ordinary business affairs
is equally necessary in public enter
prise such as a fair
"Any fair manager fitted for the
work he is to do cannot be kept too
long in that particular position. A
poor mani mean man who shows
no particular ability or takes no in
terest in the fair work, who does not
by his energy push and brains add
to the constructive work of the fair,
no matter what his position in the
business world may be-has no place
upon the board as a fair manager,
the institution is severed the better off
the fair will be. 1t is the active, con-
structive brain that is necessary to
build up or think out the problems
which confront us; almost any child
| can point out our faults. The man or
woman who is eternally criticising
| the work of others without offering
| any plan for betterment is what Mr..
Roosevelt would term AN undesirable
citizen
1--WE have in iowa, as have no
doubt you have in Kansas, a flourish
ing organization with a fairly good
membership at all times) known as
the Knockers club or DO Nothing
society," 1t can be said for their
membership that they take great in
terest in the work Of their club, no
matter how little their efforts are
directed along lines that would pro-
duce some benefits.
| sThey say our state board of agri-
culture is a close corporation, little
| ring within themselves. I do not deny
| the accusation but defy them or any
| other citizen of Iowa to point out one
| instance wherein the so-called ring
has not directed its efforts along lines
| for the best interests of the state
Party or factional politics have NJ
| standing with our board: it is made W
| of Democrats 'Standpatters' and Pro
| gressives,' all working as a unit ane
in harmonious manner. Among fail
exhibitors and fair managers the lows
\ board is known for the length of ser
! vice of its members and the few new
faces to be seen from year to year II
| its membership.
| Il doubt if you could ind the coun
! try over so large a body of men wh'
have such absolute confidence in th'
Judgment of one another as is fount
| with the members of the Iowa stat
| board of agriculture. To this, in m.
/ Judgment, can be attributed the posi-
/ ton the Iowa fair has attained within
| the past few years.
Our annual state agricultural con
vention for the election of officers oc
! Cured only last week. The newly elect
ed president is serving his fourth tern
in that position, and his sixteenth yea
| as one of the managers of the low;
State Fair. He is known among ex
hibitors and fair managers as mai
OF rare ability in fair work. Still tn
| Knockers. club or DO Nothing socie
ty' thought he should not have been re
elected, for no other reason, they said
than that ne had been at it long enougl
and should step aside and let som
other man have the place. The majorit,
of our PEOPLE, and especially those VIII
are interested in the work of the fail
believe otherwise. They feel that W
are fortunate in having man who i
willing to devote his timesto the wor
and that he should continue to be re
elected so long as he is willing t
| serve.
! you people Of Kansas would no