The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-07-01
Voters of Marion Are Asked to Ap-
prove Taking Over the Fair at
Election July %

EIeclIOn July ZZ
On July % the voters of Marion
1unty will be asked to go to the
oils and voice their approval of the
ct passed by the legislature to au-
lorize Marion county to take over
le county fair, to be operated under
le supervision of the county COM
Sssioners. L
sSe bill gives the county commits S
1alr> the power to purchase the
not oeerty, but this purchase will 1
dlrectorsSSsary; as the board of '
and AgrlcuSe Marion County Fan I
fered the faiAAssociation have Of
without cost Arty to the county t
brances or strings<ithout encum-
estimated that the fay kind. 1t is l
its buildings and other Nunds. with q
would not be replaced <xements f
$4,000. The county gets it, for "
if the people want it. The aAae
tural committee of the Marion Co~l
ty Board of Trade has gone into tn
matter thoroughly, and is of the opin-
ion that the county must either take
the fair over and operate it, or there
will be no fair.
AS to the Importance of the fair
there can be no question. 1t has Civ
en- Marion county great amount of
valuable education and advertising
and has built up for the county a
widespread reputation. 1t has been
a means by which Marion county has
taken exhibits to the state fairs and
captured first premiums. 1t should
be a means through which Marion
county can send a complete exhibit
to the centennial exposition in jack
sonville in 1921, which will be one of
the greatest opportunities for adver-
tising the county that it will have in
many day.
AS to the question of the public
ownership and operation of the fair,
governments build and operate Ii
parks, experiment stations and SIM
liar institutions, for educational and
economic reasons. AS proof of the fact
that the federal government values
the educational effert of fairs, it
spends millions of dollars annually in
sending exhibits to all parts of the
country.
With the fair property decided to
the county, without cost, without en-
cumbrances, and without strings, it
becomes an asset upon which the
county could realize.
Last February the Marion County
Fair and Agricultural Association of
fered the fair property to the county
commissioners, if they would take
over and operate the fair. At that
time the commissioners could not act,
because they were without authority.
To get this authority a bill was in
troduced in the legislature, and was
passed, subject to a referendum to
the voters on July p.
In order that there be no doubt
about the offer of the Marion County
Fair and Agricultural Association, its
board of directors met on June 20,
with majority of its members pres
ent, and unanimously adopted resolu-
tions authorizing and instructing its
officers to deed to the county all of the
fair property, free of encumbrances
and of debt, provided that the people
approve at the election to be held on
July %.
About twelve years ago few pub
lic-spirited citizens conceived the idea
that Marion county should have a
county fair. An organization was
perfected under the name of Marion
County Fair Association, Incorporated
for profit. Grounds were purchased,
cleared and fenced; buildings were
erected, a splendid half-mile race
track was built, and first class fair
plant completed at cost of about
$4,000. This corporation conducted
fairs up to about three years ago.
Three years ago the name of the
organization was changed to the Mar
ion County Fair and Agricultural As
sociation, not for profit; the former
stockholders donating all of their
stock to the new corporation. The
new corporation conducted fairs, with
the aid of the county, the officers of
the fair serving without pay, except
ing the secretary.
Two years ago, at the annual meet
ing of the Marion County Fair and
Agricultural Association, it was sug-
gested that county fairs should be
conducted and operated by the people
Of the county through their commits
sioners. This matter was discussed
from time to time, until the presi-
dent of the Marion County Fair and
Agricultural Association called a
meeting to be held in his Office, Feb.
18th, of this year, to consider the ad-
visibility of rendering the sole own
ership of the entire fair plant, free of
all encumbrances, to Marion county.
The president Of the fair associa-
tion appointed a committee to appear
before the board of county commits
sioners to tender the entire property
of +hn foir tn tho cornn+u Thir cor,n