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Show THE FOUR-STATE FAIR FUNDS. "It seems curious that in even so simple a matter as providing a little money for the Four-State Fair at Ogden, the Utah legislature legis-lature couldn't frame tho law so as to admit of (the money being expended for the purpose to which it was ostensibly devoted. But the ambiguity and uncertainty of legislation, evident everywhere, is especially conspicuous in Utah." ' The above article is reproduced from this morning's Salt Lake Tribune. We think the Tribune is in error. The law passed by the last legislature, directing the commissioners of Weber county to levy a tax for the maintenance of a Fair, is plain. The only question ques-tion with the commissioners of Weber county is how the money should bo paid, whether in a lump sum or the county clerk to make out a warrant in favor of each person to receive this monej Dr. H. M. Rowe, who was manager of the Fair, appeared before be-fore the commissioners last spring and asked for $3,500. The commissioners com-missioners cut the amount down to $2,S00. The commissioners held that, simply because the law authorized them to pay $5,000 towards the Fair and exhibition, it did not mean that the full amount should be granted. It is a well known fact that no fair pays its expenses, nor is it intended to, because the fair is an exhibition of public products tp encourage manufactures and the perfection of all kinds of products, pro-ducts, and the raising of livestock, poultry, etc. Every legislature appropriates between $30,000 and $80,000 for the State Fair at Salt Lake City. No State Fair held in Utah has ever paid expenses without aid from the legislature. It will, therefore, be seen that the contribution to the Four-State Four-State Fair of $2,800 is not unreasonable. The county commissioners asked the county attorney for an opinion and the opinion was that the county could not pay this money for premiums, but could pay it for making and creating the exhibits. It so happened that when the exhibition was given and the exhibits were being arranged, this money for the fair had not yet been collected from the county. Dr. II. M. Rowe advanced the money for the comity on these matters and now everything is paid for excepting the premiums. Therefore, Dr. Rowe will have to make a statement that he lias already expended ex-pended the money for the exhibition and get the money for that purpose, although in reality he would be using the money to pay off the premiums that are now due. It will be seen that it is simply a matter of how the voucher shall be made. ' It is true that Dr. Rowe wants to use the money he gets from the county to pay the premiums that are due, but it is also true that Dr. Rowe advanced the money three or four times over for the purpose for which the legislature says the county shall use the money. Therefore, there should be, and there will be, no trouble about having the money paid over. There were some few people, a short time ago, who complained about the county commissioners 'giving aid to the local fair. Those people, however, did not know that the legislature had passed a special law allowing and authorizing authoriz-ing each county to help give local exhibitions, as well as to give exhibitions elsewhere within or without the state. One alleged newspaper has shown signs of animus over the paying pay-ing of this money to the fair, under the belief that William Glas-mann. Glas-mann. publisher of this paper, had something to do with the management man-agement of the fair. This is notice to whom it may concern that the publisher of this paper had nothing whatever to do with tho fair given during the year 1911. He was not an officer of the association, associa-tion, was not even a director. After George IT. Mattson died, the publisher of this paper was elected a director of the association to succeed George II. Mattson, but the publisher declined the honor and has not acted as such director a.t all. While his name appeared ap-peared as one of the directors, the records at the court house will show that Mr. Glasmann never qualified and had nothing to do with the fair this year, directly or indirectl'. Therefore, those newspapers news-papers that have an idea that the publisher of tnis paper would be a beneficiary of any fund the county commissioners might pay can undeceive themselves at once. It is true that Mr. Glasmann was manager of the fair for the years 1908 and 1909, but during the years 1910 and 1911 the fair was given 'by, and managed bj', Dr. IL M. Rowe. We know from the experience we have had, that no management manage-ment can pay the expenses, in the preparing, giving and maintaining of an exhibition for a fair from the gate receipts. There is no fair given anywhere that does not receive city, county, state or public subscriptions to pay expenses. Now, this knocking of the Four-State Fair should stop at once. This paper will promise to secure a lease for $1 on the Fair grounds for any person or association of persons who want to give the fair next year. The party must, however, give a bond in the sum of $10,000 that he will pay all the expenses and the premiums. This paper, further, will do for the fair, under such management, as it has dono this year, contribute $100 in cash. Further, we will boost the fair editorially and assist it in every way possible. The few businessmen of Ogden who think that the fair is a snap and is a money-maker, are invited to accept the above proposition. propo-sition. Further, we have every reason to believe that the Weber club will raise a public fund of $5,000 and donate it to anybody who will give the Four-State Fair. Now, if there are any courageous businessmen bus-inessmen who think that they would like to tackle the fair proposition propo-sition in Ogden, here is an opportunity. |