226 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



able. As noted before, the exhibitor is relieved from the expenditure of 

 constructing and maintaining a building of his own to house his exhibits. 

 The management assumes this burden, but the exhibitor is not thereby 

 relieved from the payment of an equitable price for his space which will 

 in a measure insure to the owners a reasonable return on the investment, 

 and I am safe in saying that the amount so paid by the exhibitor now is 

 very much less than it formerly cost him. Besides, the exhibitor will 

 readily admit that the accommodations and surroundings of his new 

 quarters are much more preferable and better adapted to the purpose of 

 his exhibit than the old one. The sound judgment of these business men 

 enable them to see the improvement as highly beneficial to their busi- 

 ness. It is my observation, then, that the charge for inside space unless 

 very unreasonable is readily agreed to and that the requirements of the 

 exhibitors will steadily increase to the mutual benefit and satisfaction of 

 all concerned. 



We now come to the problem of handling and disposing of the outside 

 space, which usually covers about forty to fifty acres of ground. Estab- 

 lishing a price on this space is wholly different and will not be so readily 

 agreed to as in buildings where security and comfortable arrangements 

 are furnished. However, under conditions as now exist with the tremen- 

 dous increase in the cost of running a fair, the great expense in prepara- 

 tion, labor and material, increased premium and the hundred and one 

 other avenues of outlay necessary to get everything in readiness to 

 promptly entertain the hundreds of thousands of visitors who annually 

 flock to the fair grounds, the managers are taxed with the question of 

 where to lay the burden of meeting this ever-increasing cost. If the prices 

 of admission at the outside gates and grandstand are not increased, where 

 will the burden fall? Increased attendance will help some, but unless 

 unusual, will hardly meet the situation. A slight increase in prices all 

 along the line will become necessary and should not cause alarm, but 

 to convince the machinery exhibitor that he should help to pay part of 

 this increased expense, it will be necessary, in my judgment, to make 

 a showing. 



His argument that he is compelled to put up a tent, big or little as 

 the case may be, and arranging his booth is a costly proposition; that 

 he is under the expense of hiring help to watch the exhibit at night, and 

 that the mammoth machinery exhibit, which he helps to complete, is an 

 educational feature of great value, adds to the attractiveness of the show 

 and is necessary to round out the whole spectacle; that the original cost 

 of this open space was very little and that its maintenance is even less; 

 apparently his contentions contain some truthful statements; they have 

 merit and must be not only considered, but answered. It must be shown 

 that the benefits he derives are sufficient to offset the outlay, and leaving 

 a fair margin of profit to the exhibitor; that his exhibit is appreciated; 

 that the thousands of visitors that call at- his exhibit are buyers and 

 eventually become patrons; that under no other circumstances could he 

 find such an opportunity of meeting so many prospective customers, nor 

 a better field for solicitation of patronage for his goods; that expenses 

 incurred in putting up his tent or booth, hiring help, would barely pay 



