ANNUAL MEETING. 



81 



want to say liere that I believe the time may come, in part, at least, 

 unless- racing rales are so amended as to insure honest competition and 

 fair speed contests, when the races may be set aside and the money paid- 

 out on that account put into other special features with equal or greater 

 remunerative results to the associations-. 



A good special attraction is popular, and generally is appreciated by 

 the people. But they are quick to catch on and show their disapproval 

 for too much of the ludicrous, fake or lewd attractions. So they are 

 equally quick to catch on and show their dislike for the unfair conduct 

 and trickery of speed-horse men, which is frequently permitted to creep 

 in and detract from the pleasures that should be derived from the speed 

 program. 



Special attractions will pay, and richly pay, if they are not too ex- 

 pensive in proportion to the receipts of the association procuring them. 

 I mean by this that no association can afford to appropriate and promise 

 more money in payment of premiums, races and the running expenses, 

 including special attra< lions, than the average receipts of the associa- 

 tion will permit. 



Special attractions arc a great help in the way of advertising the 

 fair. But even in this ]>articular there should be no exaggeration. It 

 should be of such a character that every man, woman and child attend- 

 ing the fair, attracted tliere by the promise of such special attraction, 

 should be able to get value received in both money and time expended. 



Now a word more in a general way. I believe the managers of asso- 

 ciations should not only bo careful in the procurement of special featm-es, 

 but they should guard closely every other avenue calculated to impair 

 its standing and usefulness. It is their dutj^ to manage in such a way 

 as not only to furnish tlie people with entertainment and amusement, 

 but to try to educate them along tlie line of agricultural pursuits, bear- 

 ing in mind that it is a higher duty to throw around them such influ- 

 ences as will educate and h(>lp Ihcni to a higher and better citizenship. 

 To do this is to encoiu-age a community of interests, which is essential 

 to the highest success of a county fair. 



The discussion on "Art and Valtie of Advertising" was led by 

 J. E. McDonald, who said : 



When an individual starts a large store he buys what, in his opinion, 

 he can sell to the people. He reasons that a certain part of his com- 

 munity will Avant this, and that another part will want something else. 

 He reasons that he will be able to sell so much of one kind of cloth and 

 so much of another kind, and he piles those two kinds on his shelves. 

 Then he thinks of the other important part of his business, the customer 

 who must come to him. So it is in fair management. After the fair is 

 arranged for, an important factor to the fair management is the man 



6-Board of A. 



