FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III 285 



will be money makers," and they have to resort to that in many instances 

 when the fact is if they had their way about it they would not allow 

 them in. No, my friends, the governor is right. It ought to be an educa- 

 tional center, it must be an educational center, and it ought to be put 

 upon a basis so that it can live without this class of institutions. They do 

 nobody any good, and we should always be in favor of putting a business 

 out of commission that does not add something to human pleasure of a 

 substantial kind. I believe that it is right to have pleasures, to laugh and 

 have fun, and athletic sports and all that sort of thing. That is proper, 

 that is part of our being, and we -ought to be doing it. The older men 

 ought to be out running around, there isn't any doubt about it, but there 

 are a class of institutions that spring up here and there that do not add 

 a thing on earth to humanity — not a thing. You couldn't put your finger 

 on a single good thing they ever did, and I am one of those fellows that 

 is ready to put them out of commission every time they show their heads. 

 So I say about this county fair, when some of these little concerns crop 

 in I like to see them go out. So when you make it an educational institu- 

 tion through the proper organization, as the governor said, when they 

 are working together, in team work, then you can accomplish. It is one 

 of the worst things in the world to see a county or a municipality divided 

 in its sentiment with respect to these public institutions. They always 

 hurt the institution — always. To see them divided, one pulling one way 

 and the other another. And when they get together they always obtain 

 results. I know of towns in this state where the people have pulled to- 

 gether, and .absolutely gone out on the prairie where there was nothing 

 but just one little railroad, and built up a city of four or five thousand 

 people, and you never could tell on earth whatever put it there until you 

 got to talking with the fellows and you found out that they just put it 

 there. That is all there is to it. It all depends on men after all. On 

 people. Of course I don't want you to think that my friend is the best 

 man in America, but I do want you to think that he is an excellent gen- 

 tleman and citizen. The association up there got out a little booklet 

 which contains a list of men that breed thoroughbred stock, cattle, hogs 

 and horses. This is an old one, made about six or seven years ago. But 

 I say they got up a list of these men, and it has taken well. You will 

 find them at the tables where Mr. Pickard has put them around. They 

 are the latest edition. 



And I think they have been making a success financially out of their 

 fair for the last four or five years by similar methods, but they ought to 

 have help. That is what they want, and when we get to that, then we 

 will have agriculture in your model schools, and miniature roads and 

 farms showing the sanitary conditions. It will spread health and every- 

 thing else just like the great Chautauqua circles. I thank you, gentlemen. 



The President: Mr. Pickard, of Harlan, will relate a few 

 incidents that will probably be congenial to most of you. Mr. 

 Pickard. 



Mr. Pickard : Mr. Toastmaster and Gentlemen : I think the 

 toastmaster has taken undue advantage of me this afternoon. I 



