ANNUAL MEETING. 73 



ground unless I know absolutely what it is. Last year at the State Fair 

 we had more shows than usual. I do not think we had anything there 

 that any one could object to, but more than half of them were not worth 

 the time it took to see the performance, to say nothing of the price of 

 admission. 



There is a wide difference in the price charged for privileges. Some 

 fair managers charge by the front foot. I do not think we do all of them 

 justice by this manner of charging. The people who run dining halls 

 are an accommodation to the patrons of the fair, and I think they should 

 not be charged as much for the privilege as the people who sell cheap 

 jewelry are charged. I think there should be from one-third to one-half 

 difference in the price of these privileges. 



I hope all of you will discuss this question, because it is of importance 

 to every fair in the State. 



Mr. Blackstock: I tliink you have an idea that all privilege 

 money should he paid in advance. Do you still think so ? 



Mr. ISTowlin: I would certainly insist that they all pay in 

 advance. I know they all claim they have not the money to pay 

 in advance, but I have found that if they haven't got it they can 

 usually get it if you insist on payment in advance. The rule of 

 the State Fair for the past four years has been to require payment 

 in advance in every case. We charge them twenty per cent, when 

 we males the contract, and at this time there are over a thousand 

 dollars worth of privileges waiting to pay this. When the fair 

 opens they pay the balance. Often I have had this sort of ex- 

 perience : I have written out a man's contract and asked for the 

 money, and he would claim that he did not have it. When this 

 happens I put the contract back in my pocket. Sometimes the 

 man will go down into his pockets and produce the money then 

 and there, and in some" instances he will go away and get it; but 

 I have never known one of them that did not finally get it. Last 

 year there were just two dollars that was contracted for that was 

 not paid. Two young men came there on Wednesday afternoon 

 and paid part of their privilege money, and were to pay the rest 

 Thursday morning. They never came back, so we think we got 

 enough for the time they were there. 



