Eggé OF KENTUCKY p ~ » J — 199 -
local} exhibits ·were igood; the livestock from the Bluegrass scanty. Because of
OCi_ this deficiency, the fair failed _to draw_ a sufficient crowd to meet expenses.
nate The attendance was only 14,000. The guarantors refused to make good the losses
was \\\ incurred by the Livestock Breeders' Association. The_matter went to the courts.
the Pending their action, many bills went unpaid, among them bills for_ advertising
owed to country newspaper editors, who wielded powerful influence locally and
throughout the State.` · ° l l _ ‘
xiii ‘ " Meanwhile, the legislature convened and again appropriated $15,000 to the
ties Livestock Breeders' Association for premium use. A suit was instituted to test
the legality of the grant. 0n the premise that the appropriation_ was unconsti-
tutional, the auditor refused to- honor the demand of the association for the
prO_ money. The court later affirmed the constitutionality of the appropriation. As
bats a ·result of all this° confusion, the fair of 1904 lapsed and it was freely
np8_ asserted that no State Fair would ever again be held within the Commonwea1th:_
Tggi In “spite dof the unfavorable outlook, the association invited bids for the
iife fair of 1905. Lexington and Louisville responded, the commercial and manufactur-
Bgd ing interests of the latter city showing little concern about the matter. Lex-
VnS’ ington offered its fairgrounds andi adequate financial support, contingent on
’ being permitted to name half of the directors. This offer was accepted by the
association. Frank G. Hogan, Caldwe1l_ Norton, G. A. Birch, and Clarence‘ Sale
represented the Livestock Breeders' Association; M. A. Scovell, T. S. Harbison,
fiky J. S. Estill, and Desra Breckinridge, the city of Lexington, George A. Bain, lew-
“ Sr ington, served as secretary, Untiring efforts by the board produced the greatest
fair Kentucky had `yet seen, and the most profitable. The attendance rose to
82,000; total receipts were $45,000; a net revenue of $12,000 was reported. 4
B in it I ` LEGISLATIVE CHANGES- ‘ A ( _f' MV
STZE During pthe years 1904-08 Kentucky had, in the person of Hubert Vreeland,_of
Jefferson County, a strong and resourceful commissioner of agriculture, labqr and
zggg statistics who, in his first report as commissioner, pointed the way to ellarged
Llg_ use of that department, which was then interested in the organization of farmers'
the clubs as furnishing local centers for the farmers' institutes popular throughout
_ c the State. The bureau of agriculture, labor and statistics, as then constituted,
ilte was made up of two State officials-- the directorl of the State Agricultural
S32- Experiment Station and the commissioner of agriculture-- and three advisory mem-
Q' bers: E. R. Bagley, of Warren ‘County; Thomas W. Scott, of Woodford; and Guthrie
°}"l‘ M. wiiscm, Or Nelson. · ’ · ·
zner c , ·
‘ The suggestion made by the commissioner wasé
JIEH "... Believing that a larger representation of farmers on this Board
Digo would not only result in the Commissioner receiving valuable aid and
_nt’ _ suggestions in the work of holding institutes, etc., but that it would
;€d° _ have a tendency to create more interest and confidence in the depart-
lt€' ment's work, I hereby recommend that, in addition to the Commissioner·
ltgé _of Agriculture and the Director of the Experiment Station, who should
_ be·ex-officio members, the law be so amended as to provide for the
’nS— appointment of a farmer frem each Appelate district as a member of the
was Board .... " A ¤ · _ , ‘ . c
This suggestion pointed the way to the creaticn of a board, responsible
‘ous directly to the State, which might take over the functions and duties of the
The Livestock Breeders' Association in its role as sponsor of the State Fair. The