224 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



J. P. Mullen, Fonda : This paper was written for the purpose 

 of bringing the question of free space at state fairs and expositions 

 as a relic of the past. It was written from that standpoint. I begged 

 to be relieved from reading it again, but the secretary of your asso- 

 ciation requested me to do so, so that it is up to you to interpret 

 these opinions in such a way that they may be applicatble to your 

 county fairs all over the state of Iowa. As I read it you will dis- 

 cover that it is not directly applicable to your problem, but you may 

 interpret it as I go along. 



Mr. Smolinger requested me a little while ago to solve a problem 

 that all of the mathematicians of ancient and modern times have 

 failed to accomplish and that is to square a circle, but I noticed at 

 dinner that he gave a large order to the waiter and I noticed that 

 he jammed down a square meal in a round stomach. So that he 

 accomplished something that I failed miserably to do, when I said 

 there was 20 acres of wheat in my race track when, as a matter of 

 fact, there is only about one-half of that. 



Reading. 



"FREE SPACE A RELIC OF THE PAST." 

 By J. P. Mullen. 



This question is evidently broad enough to cover all classes of exhibits, 

 including inside and outside space in all departments of the fair. But 

 as my knowledge is somewhat limited regarding the practice and sched 

 ule of prices that obtain in other departments, I will conclude you ex- 

 pect me to treat this proposition from the angle of farm implements and 

 machinery with which I am more familiar. I trust this will meet your 

 approval. 



Outside space is usually given free to exhibitors and will receive due 

 consideration in this discussion. This so-called outside exhibit, while 

 composed of many kinds of goods and a great variety of articles aside 

 from agricultural implements, is after all made up to a very great degree 

 of medium and heavy farm and road machinery. So far as I know at the 

 present and for some time past, a reasonable charge has been in effect 

 at most of the state fairs for exhibits in buildings. Especially is this 

 true where the buildings belong to the society. 



If there is now any inside space where no charge is made, investiga- 

 tion will doubtless disclose that the exhibitor owns the building. 



I might add regarding this phase of the question, and it's worth con- 

 sidering, that it's not so very long ago, and the condition exists yet in 

 many places where the exhibitors show their goods in their own building. 

 At many institutions where conditions of this character exist an agree- 

 able change is taking place, and in some places the old order of private 



