252 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



it in the old-fashioned way. It needs the spirit, the progressive spirit 

 that is displayed by the men who have the courage, and it takes real 

 courage to lead a county fair ; but it is comparatively easy for Corey 

 and these men who are associated with the state fair to get by. 

 But when you just settle down in one lone county, and there isn't 

 anybody willing to put up a quarter to back the thing, hardly, if you 

 then go ahead and make a fair that is a success, they may never 

 erect any monument for you, but I want to say to you that you are 

 building a monument for yourself and for the county that is really 

 worth while. 



I wasn't on the program — Mr. Files from Fort Dodge has a 

 speech all wrapped up in his system, and I was wondering, Ray, 

 when the ladies were dancing up and down the aisle here whether 

 we couldn't pull off our joint debate. The last time I had the pleas- 

 ure of meeting your speaker of the evening, we were up at Boone 

 and we were telling the ladies, or trying to — and he succeeded in con- 

 vincing two or three at least that they ought to join, when they had 

 an opportunity to join, the democratic party, and I want to say that 

 a fellow that can put that over is some guy. And I don't wonder 

 that they make a fair pay at Fort Dodge when it rains all week, be- 

 cause when a fellow can get the women that way they can do any- 

 thing. 



It is a pleasure to be here and dine with you and see you all so 

 prosperous. Ten years ago when these fellows got together there 

 wasn't a fellow that wasn't thinner than a stove-poker. You can 

 always tell a prosperous man because he is fat. He either has money 

 or good health, and both are prosperity. 



Now, it is a pleasure to be here and to see that you are gaining 

 ground, and I want to encourage you to keep whacking at the legis- 

 lature for help, and if they don't give it to you make them stay at 

 home, and you don't hurt yourselves or the state any "if you do keep 

 quite a few of them home, so there is no harm done. But I know 

 that in this December meeting when you get together and talk over 

 your troubles and your victories (and most of it is victory now) it 

 gives you courage for next year, and that being election year you 

 will have a large number of scrubs at the show, but they won't in- 

 terfere with the real bulls that will be there. 



The Chairman : All good things, gentlemen, aren't found in Des 

 Moines — we have a few, I think, located in other parts of the state. 

 One at our board is from Webster county — Fort Dodge. Mr. Files 



