PROCEEDINGS STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION 73 



fully justified in taking the initiative as a matter of public economy as 

 well as to sponsor a program that would bring results. 



Many of you fair men have a similar situation at home in trying to 

 make both ends meet, so I wish seriously to recommend that you adopt 

 the budget system in all the departments of your fairs. In conducting 

 your fairs exercise great care in keeping the expenses below the prob- 

 able average receipts. If you do this and apply the budget system fear- 

 lessly your fears and problems will soon disappear. By liberal and ju- 

 dicious methods of advertising aided by special features which seemed 

 to possess great drawing powers the fair not only showed an increased 

 attendance but a very handsome profit. In spite of many apparent earlier 

 handicaps the count showed a greatly increased attendance over 1921. 

 Our Iowa friends and patrons ought to take just pride in this achieve- 

 ment, for no other state fair showed such an increased attendance as 

 did the Iowa State Fair this year. 



Approximately three hundred sixty thousand people passed through 

 the turnstiles. This is an increase of sixty thousand over 1921 and to 

 my mind tells the wonderful drawing power of the state fair. There 

 must surely be some reason for this continued support from the rural 

 population of the state, and I believe it is found in the fact that the 

 state fair is recognized and supported as one of the successful and 

 worthy state institutions. It belongs to all the people of the state and 

 by their unstinted patronage the people manifest both a state and per- 

 sonal pride in its success. So much for the fair, if anything more is 

 needed its continued success speaks for itself. 



Just a word on farming and the farmer — for the last two or three 

 years his lot has not been a pleasant one. Because of the severe re- 

 action from war-time prices and the depreciation in values which fol- 

 lowed so rapidly, the farmer was caught holding the sack, without ability 

 to meet his obligations from the diminished proceeds of his own and 

 his family's labors. The part the farmer plays in producing the neces- 

 sities of life is surely an important one, for on his labors or success 

 of his labors depend the welfare of the whole human family. If he 

 cannot realize a profit on the fruits of his labor it becomes only a 

 matter of time until he will change his calling or find it convenient 

 to limit production, resulting in consequent hardships for the millions 

 of people who most depend for their daily bread on the labors of others. 

 For this reason the state and national governments should manifest 

 an interest in his burdens, and cooperate with him in the enactment of 

 legislation to provide better marketing facilities to stabilize prices, and 

 to afford him a reasonable return on his investment. Many things can 

 be done for him without injury to any other business or industry. I 

 refer in a larger sense to the increase of the Federal Farm Loan maxi- 

 mum to any one borrower of $25,000.00. Also to the continuation of the 

 War Finance Board, operated on a practical basis of credit; with its 

 sphere of activity increased to meet every reasonable requirement. The 

 Federal Reserve Bank also can help greatly in a more liberal recog- 

 nition of the borrowing power of live stock and farming communities 

 in comparison with other industries of the country. These organiza- 



