EXPERIENCE WITH ORGANIZATIONS 259 



After much discussion the new administration 

 decided to build a permanent home for the fair 

 that the exhibitors might always find suitable pro- 

 tection for their exhibits. The city of Syracuse 

 was selected as the most central for the permanent 

 location. Naturally, the other cities became an- 

 tagonistic and for the next few years the new man- 

 agement had all it could do to keep the fair going. 

 Large State appropriations for the erection of 

 buildings and for premiums were made annually; 

 yet notwithstanding this, the Association would 

 come out at the end of every year in debt. At this 

 juncture the Board of Managers requested me to 

 accept the nomination for the presidency, assuring 

 me that they were certain I could be elected. They 

 agreed that I was most favorably known through- 

 out the State and had much influence with many 

 state and county organizations; and they hoped 

 that my non-partisan influence would do much to 

 heal the old jealousies and re-unite the leading 

 farm interests in this enterprise. 



I was elected by an almost unanimous vote 

 the chief opponent from the old board not appear- 

 ing at the election. Almost my first official act was 

 to sign with other members of the Board a 

 note at bank for something like thirty thousand 

 dollars. The next season premiums were reduced, 



