TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART II 35 



But from a financial and an exhibit standpoint, the Fair stands out pre- 

 eminently as the most successful fair ever held, as you will see by the 

 Secretary's report. Our new cattle barn, the largest of its kind ever 

 constructed on a fair ground, was certainly appreciated by the cattle men, 

 and the public generally, as they could see all the cattle under one roof. 



There are some other improvements that should be made to complete 

 the housing of the exhibits that are annually increasing. A Dairy Build- 

 ing, a Floral Building, enlargement of the grandstand — these especially 

 should be taken under consideration for the improvements of 1921. 



There is a matter I want to call your attention to that will come up at 

 the next regular session of Congress, and that is the Revenue Tax on our 

 grand stand for the night show. The revenue officers have, in a great 

 many cases, collected for this, but others have refused to pay it, and there 

 the matter stands. The revenue officers in different sections of the 

 country have different ideas of this tax. To my mind, we should not 

 pay this tax. While the entertainment at night is different from that of 

 the afternoon, the final object is the same — that is, to raise revenue to 

 carry on the work the Government has been asking us to do for the last 

 three or four years — increase the production — and that is what we have 

 been doing with the night show receipts, increasing our premiums all 

 along the line with this end in view. 



Last week in Chicago at the annual meeting of the state and other 

 fairs, this matter of the tax was taken up, and a committee will be sent 

 to Washington to confer with the "powers that be" to have this matter 

 adjusted, and no doubt you will be called upon to write your congressman 

 and senator to favor the elimination of the tax, not only on state but upon 

 all county and district fairs. When you receive this letter, do not put it 

 off, but write them a good stiff letter. 



Regarding the coming 1921 fairs, I hardly know what to say to you in 

 regard to what the outcome will be. Everything seems to be on the re- 

 trench order, and I suppose the fairs will have to follow along the line 

 of public sentiment. There are a great many ways that the fairs can 

 reduce their running expenses without the public knowing it. I would put 

 up a bold front and tell the public the fair will be up to the standard of 

 former years, and, in fact, ahead. The people of the community where 

 the fair is held, as a rule, are loyal to the fair. Tell them this is the year 

 that you need their hearty cooperation with their exhibits and attendance. 



I want to express a word of encouragement to the fair men of the state, 

 who have always been hard workers and loyal boosters for everything 

 that pertains to the development of all the industries that have made 

 Iowa great. 



The President : I have two committees to appoint. The first 

 is the committee on credentials and I will appoint on this com- 

 mittee, H. L. Pike of Harrison County, R. W. Scholfield of Hardin 

 County, F. M. Griffin of Calhoun County. For the resolutions 

 committee, I will appoint H. O. Weaver of Louisa County, R. J. 

 Shanahan of Story County, and George White of Mills County. 



The next subject on the program is the report of the secretary. 



