ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 191 



the next ten years will show an increase instead of a decrease in our pop- 

 ulation. 



I wish to refer briefly to some matters of interest for the future suc- 

 cess of the Iowa State Fair. The equipment in some of the departments 

 is inadequate to properly house and care for the exhibits, not only from 

 the exhibitors standpoint but also from that of the patron who comes 

 from a distance. If the weather is bad they are unable to see the exhibits 

 under the present conditions. Especially is this true of our machinery 

 exhibit, which is one of the most interesting on the grounds. Here the 

 progressive farmer spends a great deal of his time looking up the im- 

 provements along his line of work. We should be able to complete some 

 more of the horse barns. This year we had part of the horses housed 

 in tents and small buildings where it was almost impossible for the vis- 

 itors to pass through; hence dissatisfaction, not only among the exhibitors 

 for placing their valuable horses in quarters of that character, but among 

 the visitors who do not feel that they are rightly treated to pay to see 

 the exhibits and then not be able to do so. Our cattle barns are getting 

 old and it does not pay to repair them; hence at least two new barns 

 should be built this year, conforming to the plan already mapped out. 

 When these barns are eventually completed they will all be under one 

 roof, so that regardless of the weather the visitors can come to the fair 

 and see the exhibits. Another important improvement should be build- 

 ing arbors on the main walks leading from the Rock Island and street car 

 stations to all the main buildings. This, to my mind, would be a very 

 profitable investment, and the people would know when they left home 

 that they could see all the exhibits without exposing themselves to the 

 weather. The legisltaures in the past few years have been very generous 

 to the fai'r in the way of providing buildings for the housing of exhibits, 

 and I feel they have no regrets for the appropriations they have made for 

 this purpose; they feel we have been doing a great work along educational 

 lines, and I believe they are willing to continue the good work. 



The following committees were appointed by the President: 



COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS. 



George Purdy of Cerro Gordo County, J. W. Edwards of Henry County, 

 and A. R. Corey of Kossuth County. 



COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS. 



J. P. Mullen of Pocahontas County, C. J. Martin of Greene County, and 

 E. M. Wentworth of Marshall County. 



Secretary J. C. Simpson gave his annual report as follows: 

 SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



J. C. SIMPSON. 



The closing days of the year 1910 mark the beginning of a new era 

 in agriculture and agricultural education for the state of Iowa. From this 

 time on there is going to be more said and done for the state and less 



