FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 99 



of partial crop failures in Iowa, and coming in the year of the Exposition at 

 St. Louis, we consider this an excellent showing. 



The exposition did not keep as many away from the fair as we first antici- 

 pated, notwithstanding the fact that the railway fare from many points in 

 the southern part of the State was less to St. Louis than to Des Moines. 

 However, there were thousands of others who would have attended our fair 

 had they not gone to St. Louis. We have no criticisms to make, nor excuses 

 to offer, as to the attendance and financial outcome of the Iowa State Fair 

 of 1904. 



There was quite a little discussion in regard to the advisability of holding 

 a fair in 1904, prior to the meeting of the board last December. Those who 

 strongly opposed holding it in the year of the exposition at St. Louis ad- 

 vancing the argument that the result would be the same as that which fol- 

 lowed the holding of the fair in 1893 during the Worlds Fair at Chicago. 

 Those who favored the holding of a fair, would not concede that the failure 

 of the fair of 1893 was wholly due to the holding of a World's Fair in that 

 year, but was due in a great measure to the stringent conditions existing in 

 financial affairs throughout the country at that time. They gave as their 

 opinion, that a successful fair could be held, notwithstanding the exposition 

 at St. Louis. Later developments have shown that they were right in this 

 belief. The matter was argued pro and con quite strenously by the members 

 of the board, but when the vote was taken and showed a majority in favor 

 of the fair, the very best of feeling prevailed, and the individual members 

 expressed themselves as ready and willing to do everything in their power 

 to make the fair a success. 



The people of Des Moines gave their support as never before. Business 

 men were asked to close their places of business at least one half day, which 

 request was readily granted, and they not only closed their places of busi- 

 ness, but attended the fair and urged all their employes to do so. It has 

 been a number of years since as many Des Moines people were in attendance 

 at the fair at one time as were there on this half holiday. The business men 

 and citizens of Des Moines are to be congratulated for the willingness shown 

 and aid given to the Iowa State Fair of 1904. We sincerely hope that this 

 same spirit will prevail in the future, for it will add much to its future pros- 

 perity. 



To the press of the State we are also greatly indebted. To them must be 

 given the credit for continually keeping the fair before the people through 

 their columns. It was feared in the early part of the year, that on account 

 of the greater exposition at St. Louis, the press might overlook the Iowa 

 fair. But in this we were happily disappointed, which further demonstrates 

 that Iowa people are always loyal to their institutions. The feeling which 

 so long existed in some of the cities of the State against the Iowa State Fair, 

 because of its location at Des Moines, has apparently died out, and the fair 

 is now receiving the united support of all, which is due and generally 

 accredited our State educational institutions. 



Should the Iowa State Fair be made a two weeks fair? This question is 

 often asked, and while many good arguments may be offered in favor of the 

 proposition, for myself I am unable to see the necessity for doing so at this 

 time. To analyze the proposition, we must first consider a few of the con- 

 ditions necessary to the holding of a successful fair. First comes the selec- 



