The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-08
BILL IS READY.
One With Reference to State
Fair Drafted.
Provisions VIII BE Considered
by the Board.
PLACE LEFT OPEN.
Question of Location to Be De-
cided Later.
An Appropriation Of 100000
to Be Asked.
z LEFT OPEN.

The executive board of the state fair
committee has completed draft of the
bill which will be presented to the leg
islature when it convenes next week.
While the bill has been completed it
has not been submitted to the entire
membership of the fair board but will
be this evening or Saturday.
The bill provides for a state fair and
there is not a line in it suggesting the
location of the site and will not be.
The idea of the committee is to first
get an appropriation for state fair
and then let legislative committee de-
eide upon the location.
While no stated amount is included
in the bill it seems to be the consensus
of opinion among the committee that a
mistake Will be made if an appropria-
ton of less than 100000 is asked for.
Letters have been sent out by the Com
mercia1- club committee to the various
commercial clubs in the state and to the
members of the legislature asking for a
united support of a bill providing for a
legislative appropriation for state
fair.
Every effort is being put forth by the
general promotion committee looking to
the state fair appropriation and in none
of the literature sent out is Topeka be-
mittee feels that the vital thing to be
done at this time is to secure an ap-
preparation and leave the location of the
site to the future.
1t is an admitted fact that although
Kansas is one of the best advertised
ten years behind a majority of the
states in reference to a state fair.
Nearly every state in the central por-
ton of the United States, as well as
a majority of the states in the union
have had appropriations for state fairs
for years and Kansas, one of the fore
most agricultural states in the union
is just awakening to the importance of
such an institution.
Just at the present time an appro-
priation from the state is the all-im-
portant thing and the location q mat
ter of only secondary Importance. A
state fair would mean q great deal for
Kansas as a state. perhaps a little
more in proportion for the city in
which it is located than any other, but
Kansas is to be the greatest bene-
ficiary.
An effort was made two years ago to
have such a measure passed by the
legislature and the question of the loca-
tion was the rock upon which the bill
pounded until it went to pieces. KAN
sas the entire state lost two years of
precious time on account of this blum
der on the part of the members who
want to see a state fair appropriation
passed but wanted the location named
when the bill was passed.
The condition is aptly expressed by
E. H Crosby. chairman of the general
state fair promotion committee, when
he said: I'VE want an appropriation
at this session of the legislature for
state fair. Kansas as a state needs it.
What does it matter as far as the ap-
preparation is concerned where the site
is located.
THAT is a matter which can be
fought out in the future when every
city which is a candidate for the loca-
ton can present its claims to the COM
mittee. Then the matter of a location
can be decided upon, but the state
needs and must have an appropriation
for a state fair. The location is
small matter of small moment at the