518 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



CONCESSIONS AND PKIVrLEGES. 



A rule was passed by the Business Committee compelling all concessionaires 

 to purchase their daily admittance to the grounds; also raising the price of corner 

 concessions twenty-five per cent. This is a good rule except in many cases it is 

 hard to follow, for example: The Detroit Creamery, New England Pie Company, 

 Barium's Wholesale Meat Company and Vernor's Ginger Ale concessions hire 

 boys to peddle their wares on a commission of fifty per cent and the avei'age 

 wages of these boys will not exceed sixty cents per day. Therefore, it is im- 

 possible to force these boys to pay fifty cents to get into the grounds. 



One advantage this rule has brought about is that we actually know the num- 

 ber of admissions each concession requires, and the number of tickets used by 

 each concessionaire has been written on his 1911 contract. Under these circum- 

 stances, the Fair Association could afford to give fi'ee tickets in similar amounts 

 next year, and if the concessionaire demands more tickets I could show him his 

 1911 contract and explain to him that this number of tickets was all he needed 

 for the same concession during 1911 when he was compelled to pay for them, and 

 of course, refuse to give him any more. As a matter of fact, this class of tickets 

 netted the Fair but $1,000 this year. 



I think it was noticeable that the concessions of this year were of a better 

 class, and less fakirs were on the ground than in previous years, and with the 

 idea of eliminating all undesirable concessions, I think it would be policy to 

 limit all concessions to $100, thereby barring the cheap jewelery, knife racks and 

 other undesirable concessions. We would suffer but little financial loss and gain 

 much in prestige by making a rule of this kind, and the Michigan State Fair 

 can afford to take this step, as was proven this year, because, minus the bar 

 privileges and a large number of the above concessions, the State Fair Associa- 

 tion cleared over $24,000. Besides we should look more to what is best for the 

 State Fair in the future rather than how much money we derive from these un- 

 desirable concessions. This also applies to the bar privilege, because it is more 

 obnoxious to a large number of our patrons than the cheap concessions referred 

 to above. 



I wish to further emphasize the statement because the mere fact that the state 

 does not make a donation for paying premiums or making improvements to the 

 grounds, as in other states, and up to the present time has failed to take any 

 steps towards taking over the State Fair, is no excuse for selling the bar privi- 

 lege, because we must keep our skirts clear. Some of you may say we will be 

 unable to pay the interest on the bonds or meet the current expenses until next 

 Fair unless we let the bar privilege. My answer to this is that we got along 

 under the most trying weather and other adverse conditions during the past two 

 years without the bar, and as a result, the standards of our Fair have been 

 greatly increased. Furthermore, in my estimation, it is hardly logical to adver- 

 tise a great educational treat and a short course in agriculture to our patrons 

 and then bring our boys and girls to the Fair and exhibit a saloon in full opera- 

 tion on the grounds. 



It has also been stated that the Toronto Fair, which is the largest on the Con- 

 tinent, operates a bar. As a matter of fact, no intoxicating liquors are sold, 

 but a beverage called "Star Beer" is sold which tests under one per cent. Besides 

 it is commonly known that no State Fair in the Union is selling intoxicants of 

 any kind on its grounds. The only reason that can be advanced for selling this 

 privilege is that we need the money and cannot get along without it and pay 

 our expenses and premiums. However, if a correct depreciation charge and proper 

 distribution of earnings had been made previous to 1910, the net profits of last 

 year's Fair would compare favorably with those of any year during which liquor 

 was sold on the State Fair Grounds. It is also well to mention the fact that 

 better weather conditions prevailed previous to 1910 and 1911, as no bad weather 

 was encountered during the Fairs of 190G, 1907, 1908 and 1909. 



APPRAISAL OF LAND AND BUILDINGS OWNED BY THE SOCIETY. 



A practice has been followed in making out the annual report of charging all 

 work on buildings, water and sewerage systems, electric light plants and other 

 real estate, to the Permanent Improvement Account. This practice has resulted 

 in an inflated valuation of this property. For example, I beg to call your atten- 



