446 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



PEESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Directors and Officers of the Michigan State Agricultural Society: 



Gentlemen — -This is the fourth consecutive annual meeting that I have 

 had the honor of presiding over as President of your society, and it 

 affords me much pleasure to again address you. 



During this period a large amount of business has been transacted and 

 we have dealt individually and collectively with a great many people and 

 corporations, and believe that the annual fairs and all business transac- 

 tions are satisfactory to a very large majority of the i^ople of Michigan, 

 more especially those who are familiar with its workings. I am proud of 

 the record the society has made during that time. We have been criti- 

 cized by some of the agriculturalists, but we are liberal enough in our 

 views to believe that if the people who have criticized our methods were 

 in close touch with the affairs of the Michigan Agricultural Society and 

 knew how earnestly and honestly we are striving for its success and how 

 hard Ave have all worked to make it what it is today, they certainly would 

 not censure us. We all reiilize that-the State Fair, is an agricultural 

 society, and it must be conducted along those lines, and it is our earnest 

 desire that the farmers of the state cooperate Avith us in making the 

 Michigan State Fair one of the very best and most successful in the 

 United States. 



The spirit of the age is progressive, and whether it be a merchant, 

 manufacturer, farmer, doctor, lawyer or teacher, the age demands for- 

 ward movement in the methods and svstems of conducting each line of 

 business. The successful man today is the one who keeps in touch with 

 all modern methods in his individual lines. Avho adopts new methods, new 

 machinery new ideas which may be applicable to his particular line when 

 he finds that his business demands it. Every corporation, CA'ery society 

 and every organization must adopt this spirit in order to become suc- 

 cessful in every respect. 



When the present management took charge of the Michigan State Agri- 

 cultural Society, its indebtedness was about .$225,000, of which -$100,000 

 was original, bonded indebtedness, and $125,000 floating indebtedness. 

 During the period of time that has elapsed since the present exe- 

 cutive board has been in control *ot its affairs, we have reduced the in- 

 debtedness in the neighborhood of $50,000, and made improA-ements to the 

 amount of OA'er $170,000. In our eagerness to improve the grounds, erect 

 new buildings and pay the debts, possibly concessions liaA^e been sold 

 AA'hich would be eliminated if the society was out of debt or owned by 

 the state. HoweA^er, I do not feel that the means which haA'e been em- 

 jiloyed to improve the grounds and pay off indebtedness, haA'e been such 

 that they haAe reA-erted against the people of the State of Michigan 

 or ourselves; hoAA'ever, I am aAAare that we all do not look at it from the 

 same standpoint. 



There has been some agitation in favor of a one-week fair instead of 

 an eight-day, to open Monday morning and close Saturday night. I do 



