The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-09-07
OHIO PROUD OF
GREATEST FAIR
willis Administration "DeIiVeTS
the Goods. ".--Great Credit
Due to Careful Officials.

Meets Them-Also Makes Big Saw
Ing m Managing Agricultural Affairs
Of the State.
The greatest state fair in the his
tory of the Buckeye state was given
the people OF Ohio last week by tle
Willis administration.
In point Of attendance, the fair of
1916 exceeded even the largest hopes
Of its promoters, The total was over
10000 day-a total for the fair over
10000 in excess of any previous state
fair in Ohio.
In number of live stock exhibits
alone, this years fair exceeded by 1l8
carloads any OF it's predecessors.
In the courtesy of its management
and the quality of the service given
those in attendance, the parallel is
even more striking. One of the
greatest things about tne great state
fair that is closing today is the new
spirit of courtesy that has been in
stilled into it by the new manage
ment," said the Columbus Citizen Fri
day.
In the quality of it's attractions, it
gave to the patrons of Ohios great
fairs such merit as has never before
been seen on the state fair grounds.
"The Ohio fair this year is second
only to Toronto's worldwide famed
exhibits" said Duncan Marshall, min
lister of agriculture, of Alberta, Can
ada.
Taking 1t all in all, never was there
such state fair in Ohio. Everybody
is enthusiastic about it and prouder
than ever Of the great state which it
represented. T. D. Harmon Of the Ma
tional Stockman reflects tae general
sentiment when he said Friday: 81
have been attending Ohio state fairs
ever since 1882 for the purpose of writ
ing them up. Unquestionably the fair
this year is the largest and best Of
them all" The same sentiment was
echoed by John Cunningham Of the
Ohio Farmer.
p. e. Fleming, assistant manager Of
the International Live Stock Show at
Chicago, said on Wednesday: "If we
can have as good draft horse show
of Percherons and Belgians at Chi
cago as here this year, we will be
greatly pleased"
The credit for this state fair the
;p Il iof0 Of nhin ic
to the work of the state board of agri-
culture, a board of ten practical farm
ers, which replaced the Cox nigh-sal
aried board Of theorists The ten men,
bers Of this board, appointed by Gov
ernor Willis. reach every section of
the rural and manufacturing interests
of OHIO, and are in close touch with
the pulse of the people, as no central
ized board of theorists can be. Never
was there a better demonstration of
the ability of such a board to ascer-
tain the wishes of OHIO people and
meet them than the fair last week
To Nhe members Of the board, their
secretary, George StauffeI of Ottawa,
duu luC ldlI llGildSCl. W. IL INl4AAoh
of Cleveland, great credit is due.
An interesting fact connected with
the fair is that the largest attendance
came on Governors Day" Governor
Willis was present. mingling among
the people of Ohio and enjoying the
splendid representation Of their work.
The greeting accorded him was one of
the most notable in the history of any
Ohio fair. And yet. as under former
administrations, there was no large
expenditure of the peoples money, ad-
vancing political considerations. Many
careful observers noted this splendid
turnout on Governors Day" remark
ing that it would nave been a remark
of the United States been present.
and that it evidences the popularity
of OhiO's present governor.
There were no passes this year,
save to the old veterans and the SOL
diers at the Columbus Barracks and
Camp Willis. Judges were selected
because of their ability along especial
lines-not because, as In former ad
ministrations. a governor wished to
reward political friends. There was
no flashing of political pictures upon
the screen for effect in the forthcom-
ing election. The only interests con.
sidered were those of an exhibit repre-.
senting truly the great state of Ohio
VNhA pncr1k fc chnuipO fn tho
pie Of Ohio of the real merit Of the
Willis administration, which has
struck terror, into the camp Of the
state Democracy. Even the most rad
ical anti-Willis papers have been com
PEELED to admit that, in every respect
the state fair this year was handled
the best in the history of Ohio 1t is
q showing Of which the whole state Is
proud.
Already the managers of the fail
nave set their mark for fair in 1911
with an attendance of at least 900, 900
Many new plans are already under
consideration.
And, incidentally. 1t may be Of inter
est to know that Ohio's agricultural
interests under the Willis state board
Of agriculture cost just $4,000 for the
year ending July l. 1916, as compared
with $11S,000 for the same period un
der the centralized Cox regime.
The people of Ohio who know un
derstand that the showing of the state
fair is merely an example of the
changed conditions. relative to cos
and efflciencv, everywhere in state de
partments, oder the administration
of Governor Willis. -