190 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



If you have any questions to ask, I will be very glad to answer them. 

 (Applause.) 



The President: Gentlemen, the next topic is the one that they 

 have assigned to me. I have prepared a paper, but it is getting so 

 late I don't beHeve you will want to listen to it. 



Voice : Go on and read it. 



The President : Well, if you insist I will run through it hur- 

 riedly. 



Fellow Members Iowa Fair Managers Association : 



In being assigned the topic "Change in Law Demanding Printing of List 

 of Awards," I have accepted same cognizant of the fact that there appears 

 to be a variance of opinion of the members of this Association regarding 

 this law, and that my views therefore will not agree with all members 

 present, however, since this topic will be up for discussion pro and con, 

 and since every member of this Association has the privilege of express- 

 ing his views regarding this matter, the negative will have the same con- 

 sideration as the affirmative, and I trust what I will have to say will not 

 be considered in any way arbitrary, but for the best interests of us all, 

 in trying to bring about the very best results. 



It will be my endeavor in presenting this subject to deal briefly and to 

 the point, using the facts and figures as they exist. 



In the first place I think every member here is familiar with the law as 

 it now exists, which requires each and every fair in Iowa, to publish a 

 financial statement and list of awards, before they are entitled to State 

 Aid. This law was framed by our last legislature, and is practically the 

 same law as has existed for the past ten years, but which law was not 

 strictly adhered to prior to our receiving increased State Aid, in 1919, so 

 that we are now receiving as a maximum aid $1,500 annually. 



There has been some complaint by some of the Fair Secretaries that 

 this law works a hardship on their Associations, and results in a needless 

 expense to the Fairs of Iowa, and that the law should be amended so that 

 the cost of publishing such reports could be curtailed at lea^st, if not 

 entirely done away with. 



I am going to take issue with the Fair Secretary that has this opinion, 

 and in assuming this position, I believe I am in a position to view the 

 proposition from all angles and in an unbiased manner, since for many 

 years I was engaged in the newspaper business in Iowa, and later have 

 beeui engaged for the past twelve years at least in the business of pre- 

 siding over the destinies of a Fair, therefore am in a position to view both 

 sides, without favoritism or prejudice. 



The question therefore resolves down to the point of whether it is right 

 or wrong, I am assuming the position that the present law is funda- 

 mentally right so far as its application is concerned. 



The bone of contention appears to be the cost of publishing. I will 

 take up this angle first. 



