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fair and high-class entertainment for those who want both the 

 fair and entertainment. Although the Wisconsin State Fair 

 spends over $50,000 annually for racing and other entertain- 

 ment features, these expenditures do not cut down the amount 

 of money paid in premiums or spent for real educational ex- 

 hibits in the thirty-two departments of the fair. 



One important fact to be remembered is that a fair is an 

 institution peculiar to itself. You must have all the features 

 associated in the average mind with the name "fair." A 

 big western fair a few years ago decided to have nothing but 

 the fair itself, and cut off all entertainment. The fair proper 

 was the best this State had presented up to that year. But 

 the fair was dead. People went away believing the fair had 

 "gone back," so to speak. The following year all of the en- 

 tertainment features were restored. 



As I have said, do not let entertainment features dominate 

 to the disadvantage of the fair proper, and by all means do 

 not provide anything that possibly can offend any one. Offi- 

 cials of fairs are in absolute control of their grounds. If they 

 allow anything of an objectionable nature to be presented 

 they solely are to blame, and not the promoters presenting 

 the objectionable feature, and the public should hold the 

 fair officials responsible. 



How State Aid is given. 



Some States do not give State aid to fairs. All States, how- 

 ever, should give State aid. The system followed in Wis- 

 consin is as follows: — 



The State operates the State fair. On March 1 each year 

 $140,000 is turned over to the State fair for operation, and 

 $10,000 for maintenance, and officials of the fair are allowed 

 to enter into percentage and agency contracts in presenting 

 amusement features. In addition to the State fair there are 

 over eighty district and county fairs receiving State aid, 

 amounting to about $180,000 a year. Each district and 

 county fair receives 85 per cent of the money paid out in 

 premiums, excepting for speed events. After the close of the 

 fair officials must file an affidavit showing how much was 

 paid out for premiums, and that no objectionable shows or 



