NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 575 
"Tama Jim," as he is familiarly known by Iowa people, spent much time 
making comparisons of the present fair w^ith those of the past, when he 
was an annual visitor at such fairs. In his talk he told the people what 
was being done for agriculture in his department at Washington, and he 
certainly enjoyed the hearty handshakes of his many friends. 
IOWA'S PEERLESS EXPOSITION. 
"See Rome and die" is an old saying that carries with it the implica- 
tion that there is nothing else to see, or that one has lived his life and 
finished all that he is capable of doing when he has seen Rome. See the 
Iowa State Fair and one v/ill have seen the best products of earth, the 
finest live stock of Iowa's broad acres and sister states' production and 
all the greatest results of man's genius and skill. In almost every depart- 
ment the simple word with so much meaning, "big," fails to give even 
an idea of what one sees at this fair. Everybody in the state seemed to 
be at the fair dressed in their "best bib and tucker" exhibiting on every 
hand unparalleled prosperity. The weather, although not without its 
threatening clouds and a slight precipitation on one or two days of the 
fair, was not in the least deterrent, but more fully demonstrated Iowa's 
ability to rise superior to the elements. Iowa has served notice long 
ago that she is firm in the belief of "plenty of water" and in nowise 
could slight sprinkling or lowering clouds interfere with the success of 
the fair. 
The Iowa State Fair somewhat resembles the boy of fourteen who may 
be said to be in the "gosling state" — that is just between boyhood and 
manhood. Old buildings have been removed to outer and less con- 
spicuous locations and new ones have replaced them which are of more 
permanent character and still the business of rebuilding goes on, all of 
which are much needed. The realizations and hopes of all who are 
proud of this great commonwealth may be reached in the near future, 
low^a made one of her best improvements when the live stock pavilion 
was built, which has so comfortably quartered both exhibitor and visitor, 
but how inadequate so soon. W^e very well remember that only a few 
short years ago Iowa's best cattle and horses had to be shown in the 
open, be that torrid sunshine or drenching rain. The more w^e see of 
this pavilion the more we are impressed that it wall either have to be 
enlarged or another built so as to divide the show^ ring exhibits and the 
crowds. 
For many years low'a has been the first state in her showing of swdne 
and at one time the state fair was thought to have had the best accom- 
modations for hogs in all the great list of state fairs. All out of doors 
seemed to teem wdth swine of all ages, colors and merit calling for almost 
as many first premiums as there were individuals in the ring. Even 
such quarters were outgrown and Iowa undertook the herculean task of 
