506 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
as well as books; to stand by the agricultural institutions of the state, 
the short courses, the farmers' institutes, the state and county fairs; 
to train them up as God-fearing, man-loving, bible-reading young men 
fit to receive and preserve for their posterity the richest agricultural 
area on the face of the earth. 
Secretary Wilson was preceded by Judge Deemer, to whom very much 
of the credit of the Red Oak short course is due. Governor Cummins 
introduced the secretary in his usually felicitous manner. 
Each year at least one new permanent building is erected. This year 
it was an administration building, in which are housed all of the ad- 
ministration offices. Heretofore these offices have been scattered over 
the grounds in small buildings, to the annoyance and discomfort not 
only of the officers but of those who wished to transact business with 
them. The new building is of brick with wide verandas on all sdes, 
and a large rotunda in the center, the offices surrounding it. The 
building is well built, of pleasing architecture, and admirably suited 
to the purpose for which it was designed. In addition to this building 
another brick horse barn v. as built on short notice in the effort to 
take care of the demand for space by clamorous exhibitors. With the 
profits of this year's fair the directors will find it possible to still 
further increase the number of substantial barns, and thus gradually 
do away with the flimsy old structures which were all right for their 
time but v/hich seem singularly out of place nov\\ 
The appropriation by the legislature of funds to build a commodious 
fire-proof grand stand should be no longer delayed. The need is urgent; 
more so than for anything else than can be asked. Iowa can not af- 
ford to risk the lives of so many of her best citizens in the present 
inflammable old grand stand. It might be used for years without ac- 
cident, but there is the ever present danger of a catastrophe v\^hich 
would kill and maim hundreds and perhaps thousands. The legislature 
this winter should appropriate ample funds for a concerete and steel 
structure large enough to take care of the greatest crowds that come, 
and it should be roady for the fair of 1S09. Let us delay this matter no 
longer. Iowa does not want a fire or stampede horror. 
THE IOWA STOCK SHOW BREAKS ALL RECORDS. 
The Iowa State Fair has held the record for state fair stock shov/s 
for a number of- years, but no other Iowa fair has ever approached 
in numbers and quality the exhibit of this year. It established a new 
record for state fair shows, a record, too, v/hich few live stock shows 
ever held in this country has surpassed. Indeed, not since the World's 
Fair at St. Louis has there been so great a lot of cattle, horses, sheep, 
and hogs of all the breeds gathered together at one place. It was a 
