ItiO IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGHICULTURE 



Mr. President: We have with us today a gentleman from Ne- 

 braska who will address you upon '"The State Fair Exposition '' 1 

 take pleasure in presenting to you Mr. W. R. Mellor, Secretary of 

 the Nebraska State Board of Agrieulture. 



THE STATE FAIR AM) EXPOSITION. 



\V. J{. MELLOB, SECRETARY NEI5RASKA STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



First of all I desire to congratulate you upon this excellent report or 

 Secretary Simpson. And I assure Secretary Simpson that we in Ne- 

 braska always take off our hat to Iowa as the leading agricultural state in 

 this country. But we are somewhat of the impression that Nebraska is 

 not very far behind for the number of population as compared with some 

 of the older states. 



In my appearance before this splendid body of state and county fair 

 workers it is my earnest desire not to especially entertain you, but to 

 drop some word or idea which may be of future benefit to the success 

 of the organization favored by the results of your labor. 



The success of the fair depends upon the untiring energy displayed by 

 its officers in charge, each of whom should have a certain specific depart- 

 ment to oversee, with practically full authority. The great burden of the 

 detail of preparation and consummation must be borne by the secretary 

 as he is the man who must know everything about its minutest detail. 

 If some specific work is delegated to another he must acquaint himself 

 with its daily progress and be a veritable encyclopedia of information, cov- 

 ering every phase touched upon in fair building. To be a success he must 

 know how many horse and cattle stalls there are, how many are taken, 

 what particular breeds are to be assigned to each specific place, what the 

 opportunities are for forage and feed, and its price, when the animals must 

 be in place, how and when removed, rules governing their showing, jvho 

 the judges are, when the judging is to begin, when the premiums are to 

 be paid, and every little detail must be on the end of his tongue. Not only 

 must he have this information about horses and cattle, but also about 

 sheep, swine, dairy, poultry, farm products, bees and honey, domestic 

 products, ladies' textiles, fine arts, educational, advertising, concessions, 

 speed and each and every detail of information which is necessary to 

 satisfy the public or exhibitor at the great annual show of our best 

 products and resources. 



A thorough knowledge of responsibility is exemplified in Mr. Kountz, a 

 member of the great firm of western bankers, who resides in Denver and 

 has charge of the local bank, and who is said to keep in such close touch 

 with his business that he can go to any department and take the place of 

 each and every employe during his absence. Occasionally some new clerk 

 is said to suggest a shorter method of bookkeeping, which is invariably 

 turned down, with the reply that the present system is thoroughly under- 

 stood, and, while it may take a clerk or two more to continue it, still, 

 the absolute knowledge of the system amply repays the extra outlay. While 

 the customary information bureau may aid in disseminating the general 



