The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-26
a FAIR FUNDS.

Luz pASocuI prospect appears 10 DC
in favor of an appropriation of SIS
600 for each Of the next two years for
the state fairs to be held ut Grand
Forks and Fargo respectively. This
is $4,000 less than was asked for. and
$4,000 more than has previously been
paid.
The state fair. wherever it is held,
is the enterprise of the state. 1t is
planned for the benefit of the state,
and its highest purpose is to stimulate
interest i'll the development of the
states agricultural and Industrial pos
sibilities. This work is a very impor-
liant one and one which, looked at
from a purely business standpoint.
merits the attention of the legislature
n of the people of the state. general
lE.
The Times realizes the difficulty Of
the task which has confronted the
legislature in striking Il balance be-
tween the rigidly limited income of
the state and the numerous demands
for the appropriation of mono for
projects entirely worthy and exceed
insly useful, but carrying the total of
proposed expenditure into utterly Inn
possible figures. The situation is that
which exists i'll all rapidly growing
communities where provision III be
made for the needs. not merely of the
present, but Of the next two years on
the basis of an assessed valuation of
a year ago. and very conservative es-
1i1nates-in order to be quite safe
for the future. 1t has been evident
all along that Il severe pruning of the
estimates would be imperative, and
the legislature has done we'll to do so
much of the necessary pruning itself
rather than pass bills recklessly and
leave all Of the pruning for the gov
ernor
Those who have come closely in
touch with the work of the state fair
boards would have been greatly pleas
ed if the legislature could have seer
its way clear to grant the full appro-
priation asked for. $4,000 4 year. The
investment would have been Well
made, and the money would have been
wisely expended. This year the state
fair is to be held at Grand Forks, and
with that appropriation available, in
addition to the income from other
sources, the management Of the fair
at this end of the state would have
been able to present a fair which
would have been worth in hard cash
to the people Of North Dakota many
times $4,000.
No complaint is made of the action
taken. and The Times is confident that
the legislature is making the division
of funds which appeals to it as the
wisest under all the circumstances.
The appropriation apparently agreed
on is $4,000 more than has been made
i'll previous years. and every dollar of
that money viii. be expended in max.
ing the fair just az much better than
all previous fairs as possible. Nat.
urally not as much improvement a
be made with a $4,000 increase as
could have been with three times that
increase.
The state fair situation now is ex-
cellent. The chickering's which in the
past have hindered progress are And
ed. let it be hoped for all time.Sand
the two boards are working together
in harmony. There is and will be riv-
airy between them, but that rivalry
will be as to which shall be able to
render to the public the best service
in the numerous departments Of fair
work. We are certain that the fair
at Grand Forks this year will be of a
character which will convince the
members of the legislature that they
did wisely in making some addition
to the sum appropriated for this pur-
pose. n they may rest assured that
the management will use every posi-
BILE effort to make of the fair what it
should be, a great educational EXPOSE
ton. with all its features such as will
receive approval and command re-
spect.