74 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



younger men who are growing up in this worlv, are beyond computation. 

 They extend out into the state in every community. You can hardly go 

 into any community in the state where you cannot trace some direct im- 

 provement as the result of ideas or suggestions that have been gathered 

 at state fairs and at county and district fairs. 



The British Islands have the reputation the world over for produc- 

 ing more high class live stock than any other place in the world; in fact 

 most all the best classes have produced there and they have been dis- 

 tributed over the globe. Those people have made a careful technical 

 study of the improvement in these lines. It has been said that Great 

 Britain is a land of fairs and shows, starting early in the season, from 

 May to December there is a continuous round of local and district fairs 

 and shows. I think there is no question but that a large part of the 

 result obtained in that line is due to these shows that they maintain. 

 The men go there with splendid spirit, they go there with their pro- 

 ducts, and put forth the most intelligent efforts they can possibly bestow 

 in order to win, but if they do not win they are willing to concede the 

 rights of others, and they go home determined to improve and they come 

 back stronger next time. And those fairs distributed as they are through- 

 out the land from one seasons end to another almost, have been a great 

 educational factor. So it is in our own state. County fairs are destined 

 to play a much more important part in our agricultural conditions each 

 year. And as we improve our State Fair standard, we are also helping 

 to improve the county and local fairs. 



The President; The next on the program will be an address 

 on "How can our foreign markets for beef and pork be incrca^- 

 ed by Hon. W. A. Harris of Chicago. 



HOW CAN OUR FOREIGN MARKETS FOR BEEF AND PORK BE 

 IN- CREASED . 



W. A. Harris, Chicago, III. 



Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: When I received the very kind invi- 

 tation of your Chairman to address you on this subject, I hestitated. 

 There are a great many questions that have to be touched upon in such a 

 discussion that made me pause somewhat, and consider whether or not 

 I could present them to you in a way that would not excite an improper 

 attitude. I desire to occupy the position myself of looking at this mat- 

 ter as a great business question, which confronts the livestock interests of 

 the United States. I believe most earnestly, that we are face to face with 

 a stituation such as we have never dreamed of in this country. I did 

 not desire therefore to run counter to anything in the nature of pre- 

 judice, of party feeling, because a proper discussion of this question 

 involves a discussion of great national policy. It involves a discussion 



