TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK^PART VL 261 



It has been said tliat the best way to judge ourselves is by what others 

 say about us. We believe this will apply in judging the success of a fair, 

 and for fear my enthusiasm over the success of our fair might get away 

 with my better judgment, and for the purpose of making it a matter of 

 record, I am going to quote a few words from several of the leading 

 agricultural writers, of the country. This will give you their views of 

 the Iowa fair's success and show with what high regard they look upon it. 



The Farmer and Breeder of Sioux City has this to say: 



"What a magnificent exhibition the Iowa State Fair has become! 

 What a strong influence it wields in the development of our agricultural 

 resources! It is by far the greatest agricultural educational factor in 

 the state, for it reaches so many people. It exerts its influence not only 

 on those who annually or occasionally attend its exhibitions, but also 

 indirectly upon those who stay at home. The state has expended many 

 thousands of dollars in building up this fair, but it can spend many 

 thousands more to advantage, and this will undoubtedly be done. 



"The board of directors and the officers of the fair are to be congrat- 

 ulated upon the splendid management of the fair this year. Exhibitors 

 and visitors alike spoke of the uniform courtesy everywhere extended. 

 When well-built machinery is properly oiled and taken care of it runs 

 smoothly, and then it appears as though any one could manage it; but 

 let something get out of repair and an expert is required to put it in 

 order. The Iowa fair is evidently managed by experts or the machinery 

 could not continue to run so smoothly. Mothers remarked that the fair 

 was clean; they rejoiced. Many brought their children and were grateful 

 for seeing no gambling or games of chance. A distinct improvement was 

 seen in the character of the side shows more attention was being directed 

 toward matters having educational value. The ladies' for example, 

 listened to daily lectures on domestic science given by members of the 

 Iowa State College in the college building. Several meetings were also 

 held for the purpose of interesting men and women in organizing county 

 clubs for the purpose of promoting better rural social conditions. For 

 the most part these meetings were well attended." 



In the following write-up The Iowa Homestead gives the Iowa State 

 Fair a great deal of credit for putting the condition of the Iowa farmer 

 right before the world: 



"With an attendance 21,000 larger than in 1910 and total receipts 

 $25,000 greater, the 1911 Iowa State Fair proved to be the biggest and 

 best of any of the fifty-seven annual exhibitions which the Hawkeye state 

 has held. A quarter of a million people witnessed the exhibition at Des 

 Moines last week. The net profits to the management are computed to 

 be close to $.50,000. 



"Conceding that there is no surer barometer of prosperity than the 

 attendance upon, and patronage of the various state fairs, agricultural 

 affairs in Iowa must now be recognized as in better condition than for 

 many years past. Pessimistic predictions were freely indulged in during 

 the early summer. The crop season started out most auspiciously, never 

 had hopes of a bumper crop been better. But along came June weather, 

 which instead of being that rare thing of which the poets sing, was 



