Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-26

\ .Des Moines. Aug, 2s.--Why do 50
many people go. year after year. to the
state fair? Why, also, are there so
many people who never 90 to the state
fair? There are great many more
OF the latter than of the former.
The total of paid admissions at the
Iowa state fair this year ought to
reach 100000, and will do so IL the
weather is right. This does not mean
many different persons for many come
and remain for q week and many more
for two or three days each. But sup
posing there are 100000 persons who
see the fair at least once in two years.
this leaves two million who do not see
the fair.
The majority OF all who do attend
the fairs do so because they believe
they get pleasure and benefit there
from, that it Is delightful outing ana
recreation and that 1t Is q place where
a lot of things are learned that are
useful. In both respects the Iowa
fairs have been immensely improved
in recent years. 1t would almost seem
as IL the pinnacle had been reached.
IA fair without both serious and anus
ing features would be failure, and 1t
ought to be. When one who is not &C
customed to making study of things
in general puts In a half day looking at
the exhibits he needs rest, and nothing
lis better than races, music, vaudeville.
fireworks, etc. The stock show Is
both entertaining and instructive. But
of these things the people are familiar
The great outstanding fact as to the
Iowa state fairs is that they have be-
come yeritable expositions, with q
wonderful variety of things instructive
and entertaining. and therefore they
fulfill far more than can be known by
anyone who has not made a speclai
study of them the primary purposes al
all fairs That is why many persons
go regularly to the state fair. very
encouraging feature of it all is that
there is such large number OF young
persons who are enthusiastic over
these fairs. That means that future
generations will get more out OF these
fairs. Equally is it good that so many
women are taking hand in the fairs,
for they get as much good out of the
fairs as the men-but that fact has not
always been known.
&. buC why. 10 HOI liz oIHeA5 w
million, people Of Iowa go to these
fairs? They certainly recognize the
fair as useful, for the state, has taken
it in charge. made it state institutions,
supervises the expenditures. has APP
propriated for the permanent inn
provements and investment 1t Is not
because the fair is unworthy that
many fail to attend. But probably
great many do not know. how worthy
it is. Certainly it is not because the
people are Impoverished But it is
hard to convince a lot of people that
they can get some good out OF their
fair They regard it as good for the
other fellow only. But many excuses
are Embellishments of all fairs, the
danger Of crowds, the dsagreeableness
Of travel. prejudice against the capital
city Of the state, sand lack: of ex-
cursion rates Probably the latter has
netfiing5to dor with It: President
Cameron haS long conten4eA that i'll
the. raiiroada would only make just a
little coficesaions throw son II quarter
or some thngs o. tflats sorts So that there
would sbE zeal Ssexcursicns ratesS to the
fairssits Wohld sdnnensely Increase the
attendanre People lido like to getI
something jed q little cheaper than
others Oh. cheaper atone time than at
another. BIT whatever may be the
reason. no 4person heed apologize for
doing what he can to tncoyrage9 at
te.+dance atntte sIoWa ;statssfairs.
iH.-s- 60 49,
When the state of Iowa took over