192 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Now had we been compelled to pay the legal rates, figured on the basis 

 of ten lines to the inch or "square" as the legal term applies, this publi- 

 cation would have cost us $313.00, or $1.50 per square. Since the average 

 price paid by the fifty-six fairs was only sixty dollars, it appears that the 

 publishers were very liberal, and did not charge more than at least ad- 

 vertising rates, or cost of composition. 



So long as the publishers of Iowa will continue to be this liberal with 

 us I am not in favor of any change in the laws, pertaining to the publica- 

 tion of premium awards. 



Some of you will take the position why should we be compelled to 

 pubLsh the awards, why not make it a voluntary or optional proposition, 

 as the conditions may suggest. I will tell you why I think every fair 

 should publish their premium awards. 



First they owe it to themselves, their organization, and the exhibitors. 

 Your stockholders are interested in knowing where your money goes, the 

 patrons of your fair are interested in knowing where your money goes, 

 and your exhibitor is interested to the extent that he likes to have the 

 public informed, as to his receiving a premium, in other words he is just 

 like all other mankind, he likes to see his name in print, as a winner of 

 a premium at your fair. 



Second, and as a business proposition, the publicity in connection with 

 the printing of these awards, is an asset to any Fair Association, and 

 should so be considered, and is worth every dollar any of us have had to 

 pay, if considered in no other manner than as a publicity propositio'Wk. 

 No other form of publicity will do you as much good as the printing of 

 the premium awards. 



Third, you should all realize that in securing State Aid, that our legis- 

 lators have a right to demand, and as a principal of good business, insist, 

 on the evidence that we have paid out the sums in premiums that we are 

 asking them to pay aid on. In making this statement I do not desire to 

 reflect on the honesty and integrity of the Fair Secretary. I beiieve them 

 to be honest, but no matter how honest we may be, no banker is going 

 to loan us money on our honest looks, he demands more, our signature or 

 promise to pay. The State has the same right to demand evidence of 

 our honesty by proof of publication. 



We are about to ask -^ur legislators for additional aid. Can we go 

 before them and ask them to repeal or amend to any great extent this 

 law governing the publication of awards, and expect to get favorable con- 

 sideration from them? Personally I do not believe we can. Let's keep 

 faith with them, and thus merit their confidence and support. 



I believe that it is imperative that we as Secretaries of the Fairs of 

 Iowa g.ve full publicity in our various communities, to our activities, by 

 publishing our awards, our financial statements and other important sta- 

 tistical data, and that the law in reference thereto is fundamentally right 

 and should be complied with, and as a suggestion I am going to say that 

 the only changes I would recommend is that a uniform, and summarized 

 form be provided by the Secretary of Agriculture, so that all reports 

 will conform, and that there be no duplication of words or sentences, or 



