58 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



an organization of that kind, which would inclnde the sheep and 

 swine men as well as the breeders of the different kinds of cattle, 

 we can go before our Legislatnre as an organization and say to 

 them, "We have a great State here ; we are practically out of debt, 

 and we need help in onr State Fair matters. We have got to keep 

 pace with Illinois and Iowa and Ohio. There is no politics in it. 

 We want your assistance, and we want it in the nature of a couple 

 of hundred thousand dollars at least to fix up our fair grounds out 

 here." If we have an association of the kind spoken of by Pro- 

 fessor Skinner we can go before them and say that, but if we go 

 before them as different organizations we will not have much 

 weight. I thank you for the suggestion. Professor, and assure you 

 that I am heartily in favor of it. 



Professor Skinner: If there are any questions to be asked I 

 shall be very happy to answer them. I appreciate what Mr. Wal- 

 lace has said, but I should like to hear further discussion. 



Mr. Blackstock: Following what has been said about the ac- 

 commodations for live stock at the fair grounds, any gentleman 

 present who has visited the Illinois State Fair grounds and has 

 seen the magnificent buildings they have erected there for exhibi- 

 tion purposes, will appreciate this suggestion. Everything from 

 horses down are exhibited there under cover. That is the way it 

 should be in our State Fair grounds, so that we should not be 

 rained out every year. The State should put up such a building 

 so that the live stock can be exhibited without exposure to the 

 animals. As a member of the State Board of Agriculture I feel 

 that the members of that Board are simply the servants of the 

 people of the State, and really the servants of the exhibitors. The 

 members of the Board are doing everything they can with the 

 limited resources they have to fit up accommodations. It is im- 

 possible to do what is needed by the entrance fees. We nee^ such 

 an appropriation as Colonel Wallace spoke of. Indiana is behind 

 her neighboring States in this particular. I believe the organiza- 

 tion suggested by Professor Skinner would be the proper organiza- 



