ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 807 



the Iowa State Fair Association has made many improvements, none of 

 which are more important than these permanent ones, which provide 

 for public comfort during inclement weather. 



The state fair is the annual opportunity of thousands of citizens to 

 personally meet the governor and the high state officials. State day this 

 year was a grand success. The state officials lined themselves up on 

 the porch of the Administration building and shook hands with thousands 

 of loyal Iowans. The receiving line was headed by Governor Carrol 

 and President Cameron of the State Fair Association, and included almost 

 all of the high officials whom the people had elected and in whom they 

 naturally take an interest. It is an opportunity for the voters and 

 their families to study personal appearances and characteristics of the 

 men high in office. It results in a get-together spirit which cannot fail 

 to be of value as the years pass. The officials are invariably gracious 

 and the citizens are only too glad of this chance to meet them as man 

 to man rather than as voter to candidate. 



The old settlers of the state came in for especial attention. Not only 

 was one day set apart in their honor, but favors were shown them 

 throughout the entire week. It was an interesting sight to see the griz- 

 zled pioneers of a half or two-thirds of a century ago gathered together 

 in the shade of the modern buildings, within sight and sound of the won- 

 derful mechanical devices and machines of today, discussing the great 

 changes which have been wrought in Iowa since they came to break the 

 prairie and lay the foundations of the vast empire. There were men at 

 the fair who had come to Iowa in the thirties and forties and who re- 

 membered as vividly as though it were yesterday the severe storm of 

 the winter of fifty-six. These men delighted in telling stories of their 

 early adventures. They have seen great changes in the state of their 

 adoption. It is eminently fitting that they should be accorded honors 

 by the state fair, which is itself considerable of a veteran, but which is 

 younger than many Iowa citizens who visited it last week. It is an 

 object lesson to the youth of today to see the ox cart of yesterday driving 

 alongside the automobiles of today. Nothing could better prove how rap- 

 idly history is being made in these piping times of prosperity. 



Credit is due Commissioner Barney and the officials of the fair assoc- 

 iation for improving the food and eating conditions on the grounds. The 

 time was, in the not far distant past, when anything was allowed to be 

 served as food and drink for the people. Adulterated and even diseased 

 food was permitted to be brought upon the grounds and served in var- 

 ious forms, while the unsavory odors which emanated from the various 

 refreshments booths were enough to turn the stomach of the average 

 person, hungry as he or she might be. This year, however, thanks to 

 the pure food law and the careful work of Commissioner Barney and 

 others, the food served was wholesome and palatable. The booths w r ere 

 kept in a clean condition and the barkers were held down to somewhat 

 near civilized action. It is highly important that the people who visit 

 the fair should be given clean, wholesome food and drink. This was 

 done better this year than ever before. 



