FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III 249 



it. But we don't have to have at bur fair large free attractions because 

 we still have the cattle and the horses, and the hogs and the sheep and 

 the chickens, all kinds of poultry. We had something over fifty head 

 of cattle and about the same number of horses on exhibition this year, 

 and something over three hundred birds. I made the entries myself and 

 I know there were over three hundred fowls there, and sheep and hogs 

 in proportion. We have an expert judge to pass on all the stock. It is 

 the same way with the poultry. We used to have the ladies do that, the 

 superintendent of the department would select two or three ladies and 

 then the neishborhood would get it in for some woman and no premiums 

 would be given. Miss so and so might be mad at one of the judges or 

 something, and it didn't work out very well. So we sent away and got 

 an expert. 



We have never since hired anyone closer than a hundred miles to our 

 town, and since that we have never had any trouble. If the three super- 

 intendents could not agree we called in the fourth, and what he said on 

 that is final. But the main thing in regard to free attractions in my 

 opinion is to get just as good as you can. The people will not put up 

 with trained dogs and a trained pony and one thing and another of that 

 kind. We used to have them years ago, but they won't stand for it any 

 more down our way and I don't think there is any exception. You have 

 to give them something that looks good, and something they don't see 

 every day of the year. As to the quality of it, get the best, or just as 

 good as you can. There is nothing too good, and be sure, above all, to 

 deliver the goods. Do not advertise some attractions from some house 

 that is not responsible and have them turn you down. 



I was over to Brother Baker's fair at Eldon. I don't think there is 

 a better secretary in the country than H. W. Baker. He had an aero- 

 plane over there, and I don't believe you could have found a bigger crowd. 

 The aeroplane did not come for some reason or other and they are cussing 

 the fair yet about it. They made a much bigger howl than they would 

 had they never had the machine. There is no use. I was talking to a 

 man two or three weeks ago, and he said he didn't think they ever had 

 a contract with the man. I said, "Don't criticise that way. They had 

 it advertised to appear, but sometimes you get fooled." Get your attrac- 

 tions from fellows that you can depend on. If a man fails to show up 

 you can't make people believe that you did not do it intentionally. 



As it is getting late and we have had quite a lengthy discussion I 

 don't believe I have anything more to say on the subject this evening. 



The President : So far, I believe, the program has been decided- 

 ly interesting. At the present time we have reached the turn. 

 From now on we will come down the home stretch. The next thing 

 on the program will be the discussion of the Speed Program at 

 County Fairs by S. C. Culbertson, Jefferson, Iowa. 



