194 MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and distinguished men of our land. There has seemingly a greater number of this 

 class of jnen died than in any former year of this generation, and still the world moves 

 on as though nothing unusual had happened. There is somebody in reserve to till 

 every vacated place, and keep the great machine runnijig as perfectly as before. This 

 shows the disciplme of the people and the world's progress. 



This Society, I believe, has made some progress in its management. We seem to be 

 gradually shaking off some of the obnoxious features which have been hitched on 

 to the Society for years past. 



I am clearly of the opinion that the best policy for the Society is to rid itself of all 

 outside shows of every description and nature, encouraging that only which tndy 

 belongs to an Agricultural and JMechanical Society. Other States which have adopted 

 this policy are well pleased with the result. 



They find they are rid of the nuisance which interrupts the true object of the Fair, 

 and besides this, the receipts have been increased, which shows that the people will 

 sustain a genuine Agi-icultural Fair. California has tried this experiment for the past 

 two years with the most gratifying results. 



I am still of the same opinion, as I signified to the committee a year ago, tliat 

 the draft on the Society for premiums and other contingent expenditure is too large to 

 be met with the receipts from the Fair, except under the most favorable circumstances. 



The Society cannot reasonably expect but that it will occasionally be caught with a 

 rainy week, or some other outside inlluence as a drawback against large receipts. 



We were favored witli beautiful weather during the week of our last Fair, but there 

 were other influences that prevented a large attendance. 



The atti-action at Grand Rapids the same week, and the necessity which compelled 

 farmers to attend to their wheat seeding that week, being unable to do it the week pre- 

 vious on accomit of the incessant rains. 



This undoubtedly kept thousands away from the Fan-. The result was, which is 

 much to be regTetted — that the receipts were not sufficient to pay the demands against 

 the Society, and we may expect like causes to produce like residts in the future. 



I believe it would be ^visdom on the jDart of the Executive Committee to strike from 

 the Premium List the third and fourth premiums. 



The third and fourth pi-emiums are very little credit to tlie exliibitor; in fact I Ijelieve 

 that most people would rather have no premium at all. And it is plain to my mind 

 that it is not good policy for the Society to encourage the exhibition of third and fourth 

 rate animals and be compelled to meet the cost necessary to sustain it. 



In the effort made to enforce the rule to prevent the sale of spirituous liquors on the 

 Fair Ground we were obliged to contend with stubborn resistance from an occupant in 

 the rear part of the President's office building, which had been, by our contract, 

 reserved for the use of family living rooms. It became evident after the opening 

 of the Fair that they were selling liquor. They were ordered to stop the traffic, but 

 they declared their right to sell under then* contract, and persisted in doing so. Their 

 having possession of the premises, there seemed to be no legal way to remove them 

 before the end of the Fan-, and our only recourse seemed to be to place a guard on the 

 outside of the building to prevent customers from entering. Even then we failed to 

 some extent in preventing the traffic. The mistake was to begin with, in allowing any 

 reservation of a foot of ground, for any purpose whatever, within tlie enclosui'e of the 

 Fair ground. 



Aside from this affair, there was no liquor selling to my knowledge. 



Nearly all the departments of the Fair were well filled with exhibits of the rarest 

 production, and showed to the best advantage under the faithful guidance and care of 

 experienced Suj^erintendents. 



The absence of Mr. Sterling and Mr. Smith, on account of injury and sickness, was 

 much regretted. These gentlemen having been so closely identified with the Society 

 for so many years, it made a great vacuum in the the ranks of tke Superintendents. It 

 is to be hoped they may be sj^eedily restored to their former health and vigor, and be 

 present with us at our next annual Fair. 



The criticisms on the conduct and management of this Society, which appeared in 

 the columns of tho. Michigan Farmer, are, 1 think, a little extraordinary. 'Ihere can 

 be no objection to criticisms, if made intelligently and with a right spirit. 



It asserted that tlie Society is doing too much to advance the interest of the Ohio and 

 Indiana fairs, in place of bestowing all our energies in the interest of our own State, 

 That tlie elections are not conducted as they should be. That the ex-Presidents should 

 be dropped out, or not be made life members of the board. That the officers are 

 inclined to i^erpetuale themselves in office by seeing to it that they are re-elected from 

 year to year. 



This reminds me of the way they used to do tilings down in Connecticut a good many 

 years ago. Iii the Township of larmhigton there resided a gentleman by the name of 



