128 IOWA DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



a tax for the purpose of erecting buildings, etc. I agree with this, 

 that you may expect the gate receipts and receipts from all sources 

 just about sufficient to pay the expenses of the fair and give liberal 

 premiums for exhibits. When you go beyond that and expect 

 from your gates to tax yourselves to buy the grounds, build build- 

 ings, etc., you cannot make two ends meet. 



If the receipts are large, as in our county they were, and we 

 have twelve hundred dollars to fourteen hundred dollars now, that 

 much money ought to be put into added premiums next year, 

 and I would make the premiums bigger year after year because 

 that will make the exhibits better year after year and of more 

 interest. If you have to take your money for new buildings, etc, 

 you cannot do this thing; you have to skimp yourself. Now as 

 to the point of letting the county supervisors run the fair I can- 

 not agree. I think the best results with the county fair will be 

 to let that thing go as they are. If you attempt to run it in that 

 form you will get more politics than under the present system 

 But to allow the people of the county to tax themselves when the 

 wish for the purpose of raising money to buy grounds and erect 

 buildings, I am willing to let that stand. I make a motion that the 

 convention instruct the committee on resolutions to bring in a reso- 

 lution on the subject of allowing the county to tax themselves for 

 the purchase of grounds and the erection of buildings. Seconded 

 by Mr. McDonald. 



Mr, Van Houten: I have no objection to the resolution, but 

 I can hardly see that this resolution would have any force except 

 in the way of bringing it before the people for discussion. The 

 members of legislature are now elected and will soon meet in 

 regular session. No instructions from this body would have any 

 weight with them as compared with the sentiment of their own 

 county. And it looks to me as this resolution conveys no force, 

 no effect and no influence except to bring the matter before the 

 people to have an expression in the county. I assure you for my 

 own part, and others would feel the same way, that it would have 

 no influence whatever in getting members to vote on this question. 



Mr. St. John-. I heartily agree with the suggestions of the 

 gentleman from Montgomery, and also with Governor Packard. 

 I do believe you ought to keep it out of politics. Let me give 

 you the condition in Howard county, to the east of my own county ; 

 their fair has become a thing of the past ; and in Cerro Gordo 

 county on the west, the county fair which once flourished has be- 



