Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-14
FAIR BOOSTERS MEET
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
HOLDS INSPIRING
MEETING.
SIMPSON COMES BACK TO
VISIT OLD ASSOCIATES
One Rainy Day Shown to Have Pre-
vented Total Attendance Of 100000 at
This Years Fair-GoaI Of President
Cameron-State Fair Great Because
Iowa Is GreaI
Special TO Times Republican.

Des Moines, Dec. 14.--The state
board of agriculture had an interest
ing meeting in connection with its an
nual meeting at the state house yes-
terday. President G. E. Cameron, of
Alta, and Secretary \. r. Corey, of
pes Moines, reviewed the history of
the 1916 far. John Simpson. former
secretary of the Iowa State fair but
during the past few years secretary of
the Minnesota state fair and who will
Lecome secretary Of the Eastern
States Agricultural and Indus
trial Exposition at Springfield. Mass.
made an address. Dean Charles
+. Curtiss. of Ames, told of his trip to
The Argentine. {. p. Eorgord, COM
missioner of agriculture in Wisconsin,
SPOKE. Prof H. {. Barker, of Ames,
told, of COW testing associations in the
state. Newell Beatty of Fairfax. win
rer of the boys camp contest on
What I Saw and Learned at the Iowa
State Fair read his paper on that
subject.
President Cameron. who has been
dSSOCLdleu Will VIC sSGitt- 'VC@AN VI
agriculture for many years, said in his
address that it has been his ambition
all these years to live 10 see the day
that the attendance at the Iowa state
lair would he 2n0 600. 1t looked this
year as though my wish would be
fulfilled" he declared. But for one
rainy day | am satisfied our attendance
would have been over that number.
A. it was We had something over
2S2. 900 in attendance so we only lacked
S 900 of fulfilling the dream | have rad
all these years. Conditions were ideal
this year for the fair. Crops were
good the weather excellent and with
all kinds of farm work we'll in hand
the citizens of the state had both
leisure and inclination 10 attend the
lair"
The question has often been asked
Why Iowa holds the greatest state
fair" continued President cameron.
In the first place Iowa should have
the greatest agricultural fair. 1t IS
the creates, agricultural state in the
union. 1t ,anks more times first in the
production of farm crops than any
other two states. Her people are in
tensely interested in the production OF
the soil. They are proud of their oc-
cupation and are trying each year to
produce more and better crops and
better animals. II has become a
matter Of pride with them The name
Iowa means something and they are
determined to maintain this reputa-
ton as it stands today.
Fair Cost Less.
10 or
stated that the total expenditure on
account Of the 1916 fair was $3.50, 1880
which was reduction in cost from the
1915 fair of sl,962.23. The cash
premiums paid amounted to s67,0Go.41,
decrease of s253S34 and the ex-
pense other than premiums amounted
to sl02,137.45. an increase Of S51S.or
The total attendance for the week
vas 1882. SURPRISING all previous
records by 1880 and the 1915 at
tendance by about 1900. About one
talf of the attendance reached the
fair by automobile, Secretary Corey
said AS to railroad travel inVestiga =
tions show that per cent OF the pusl-
ness of the railroads to the fair ORIG
mated within twenty miles OF Des
Moines: % per cent within forty miles
50 per cent within sixty miles, and ~
per cent of all the railroad business
originated from outside a radius OF
sixty miles. He declared the people
coming from long distances prefer to
use the trains rather than the auto
mobile.
Dean Curtiss stated that Argentina
is unable to export her surplus wheat
or beef because of lack of ships. Since
the packing houses have gone into
that country the price of cattle has IN
creased to a marked degree and the IN
dustry has prospered. But after the
war opened export business was cut
down seriously because Of lack OF
boats for shipping.
Secretary John Simpson declared IN
MS address thai he wcH!d r2tEGE
spend a part Of the money usually
cut into a premium list in working up
an exhibit than in paying it out In
premiums for displays that were all
more or less alike. He argued for
originality in the display Of exhibits at
| fairs.