74 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION AT DES MOINES.. 



Wednesday, December 19, 1903. 



The convention convened in the rooms of the Department of 

 A,^ricnlture in tlie Capitol, at to o'clock, with President Morrow^ 

 in the chair. 



'I'he first order of Intsiness being the appointment of a com- 

 mittee on credentials, the president appointed the following dele- 

 gates as meml:)ers of that committee: J. W. Wadsworth, Kos- 

 suth county; Chas. Hearst of Black Hawk county and Chas. 

 Stranahan of Ringgold county. 



Vice President Cameron was called to the chair, and President 

 Morrow delivered the following address : 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



We are here today to make our annual report, and to elect officers. 

 for the commg year. 



The expenditures on the State fair grounds for the year of 1903 were, 

 in round numbers, $17,000, consisting of team, harness, wagon, scales, 

 greenhouse brick walks new swine pens and a new street car station, a 

 detailed statement of which will be foimd in the secretary's report. 



The board very wisely entered into a contract with the street car- 

 company whereby they entered the grounds, and during the fair fur- 

 nished first-class service; this, with the splendid service furnished by 

 the Rock Island Railway Company, gives the patrons of the fair such 

 method of going to and returning from the grounds as they have long 

 desired. 



The fair of 1903, in point of exhibits, was one of the best in the his- 

 tory of the State. Had the weather been favorable the net earnings 

 would have been far greater than that of any fair ever held by this de- 

 partment. As it was, the receipts were such as to leave a handsome sur- 

 plus in the treasury, a detailed statement of which will be found in the 

 secretary's report, showing that the people are interested in the success 

 of the fair, and it becomes our dtities as officers of this association to- 

 redouble our efforts to maintain the high standard and reputation that: 

 the State Department of Agriculture now enjoys. 



