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WM. H. HILL: I only desire to say a few words more on this subject. I fully agree with the gentleman on my left [Mr. McClung] that it would be proper for the State Agricultural Society to have grounds of their own, but there is certainly plenty of land in the vicinity of Columbus that can be obtained; and while I warmly advocate a permanent location at Columbus-and that has been my ilea ever since I have been a member of our agricultural society-I certainly am opposed to taking any of the grounds from the State institution. I would rather add to it, though it is, perhaps, in as good shape now as we can get it. I shall not, under any circumstances, vote to take away the least portion of it. Let it remain, and improve it, and get it into better condition, and get land from other sources for the location of the State Fair. Let us use the Franklin County Agricultural Society's grounds until we can get other grounds. I would rather petition the Legislature to get land in another place. The grounds at the university will do more good for education than for any other purpose. I hope the resolution will be voted down.

M. J. LAWRENCE: I move that the Legislature be requested, by petition, to purchase the Franklin County Agricultural Society's grounds. I make this motion because I am heartily in sympathy with the remarks made by my friend, Mr. Hill, of Hamilton county? I am decidedly of the opinion he has expressed. That is the reason I have made the motion.

S. HARMOUNT: It seems to me what we should know, in the first place, before these proceedings take place and this resolution be passed, whether it has been decided by the farmers of Ohio and by this Convention, that the State Fair shall be permanently located here. We are assuming, now, that that thing has transpired; that we have decided on a permanent location of the State Fair in the city of Columbus. If that is the fact then these resolutions are in order. But until we have determined that the State Fair shall be located here, it seems to me this resolution is not such a resolution as should be passed. I am decidedly in favor of the permanent location of this institution in Franklin county and near the city of Columbus, but that ought to be decided by this Convention, and not by the State Board. The Convention has the right and the prerogative to say that shall be done. When that is done, then it might be well to appoint a committee from this body to negotiate for grounds. I have not any doubt but that the trustees of the Franklin county society, or the body having these grounds in charge, or owning them, will, if the State should say for all future time the State Fair will be located here, give exclusive control of those grounds to the State of Ohio. Its permanent location has not been determined, as I have said

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It has been tried on several occasions, and once decided to be located here for five years. The State Board has not yet determined, and it may meet here next year or the year following. But if the citizens of Franklin county can be assured of its permanent location here, they will be willing to render the proper aid.

D. L. POPE: I think our honorable ex-president, Harmount, has got the cart before the horse. I really think if we should say locate it here, that we would hardly get as good terms from the Franklin county society as if we would say we will locate it here if the proper inducements are offered. I think it not best to say we will locate it here at once, regardless of any proposition.

S. HARMOUNT: Make conditions. Without conditions I think it would be wrong to promise its location here. My argument was to the effect that if the Convention decided it should be located here, we should appoint a committee or empower the State Board of Agriculture to negotiate with those parties, and ascertain what could be done, and then the Convention, at a future meeting, can determine as to this whole matter. It seems to me we can make it with a condition. The fair is only set for one year more here, as it is.

W. B. MCCLUNG: I do not look upon the resolution as being final by any means. I want to say one word more upon the question before the Convention, that is, in reference to petitioning the Legislature to appropriate money for purchasing grounds at the city of Columbus. Now I should, as a Columbus man, be very well satisfied to accept and to carry out that resolution if I thought it could be carried out But I have no more idea that we can induce the General Assembly to appropriate money to buy a fair ground at Columbus than I have of any other impossibility. Then I have another idea about that. I don't think they ought to do that. I think the city of Columbus fully competent, and the interests and advantages growing out of it such, that they ought to buy that ground, and I have no doubt they would do it.

Now, as to the other idea, that is, that the passage of this resolution is going to affect this one way or the other this year. I have no idea that it will, but the question will be brought before the General Assembly, and brought before the Franklin Agricultural Society, and that they will begin their action if they are in earnest, and if they are not in earnest, after this next fair-and we could not locate it if we would try before this coming year, as we would not have time-but then, upon that information we would have the resolution before the people and before the General Assembly, and on coming together at our next meeting the interests of the Ohio State University could be considered, and would

have been considered in connection with this matter, and we could then act understandingly. I do not expect that this General Assembly will more than take that question up. I do not think it would be proper for them to take it up and act upon it finally before the next session, before which time the next State Fair will have been held. Then, at the next session this question could be legitimately considered. In the mean time it can be seen whether Franklin county will take the proper action in regard to the matter. If it does not, other localities will be ready, and see to it that the State Board gets a permanent location.

M. J. LAWRENCE: I concur with Mr. McClung in. regard to the hopelessness of this Legislature acting in the matter. I do not think at least that we would get the State to make an appropriation at once, and I am decidedly against that motion. Therefore, I made the motion I did, and think that is the only one we want. It is what I would like; the other one is what I would not like. But I hope to see the day when the State Legislature of Ohio will make an appropriation for a State fair ground, as it should, and give it a home as it should have, and one properly fitted up in a manner which the important interests of Agriculture demand. I claim that such an appropriation would be as just as an appropriation to build any other institution, I don't care what it is, in the country. But I believe we have got to wait a number of years before we can educate the Legislature up to that point.

MR. MCCLUNG: Now, in reply, I would say I belive that there was raised, in the city of Columbus and Franklin county, a little over $300,000 for the purchase of these lands on which the university is situated. Now, there are gentlemen who are member of the Board of Trustees, present here to-night, and I want them to understand that I am not making an onslaught on the college grounds at all. I don't understand that they have determined to put to use all of those grounds. And I do understand that there has been, at least in some quarters, some talk of putting a portion of the grounds there into the market for the purpose of raising funds. Now, the question arises at once, if this is contemplated by gentlemen connected with the college, whether or not it would be anything out of the way to buy such portion of it and use it for these purposes? Now, I should prefer it for this purpose rather than that it should be sold and used otherwise. I was one of those who favored a thousand acres for raising stock, etc. But I have given that up, the current seems to run against it, and I do think that could be carried out. If it can not be carried out the question is, what shall we do with the land? The land is there, and if the State of Ohio believes it would be as much to the interest of agriculture to adopt such a plan as the reso

lution contemplates, there does appear to be a consistency in putting the two things close together; and it does not follow that we must take fifty acres of that, but we might, through the citizens of Columbus, get grounds on the McMillen property joining it, if they can. I would be glad to hear what the trustees of the college, who are here, have to say in regard to this subject. I want all to understand that it is no war upon the college, because I would rather add wealth to that institution than to take from it.

One of the Board has suggested to me that it might be possible if the Ohio State Fair were located permanently there, an exposition might be established in connection with it, as has been done in other places, and that it might possibly become an institution that would create very great resources. It is not at all improbable that this might be the case, and if that be true again, these resources could not find a more legitimate direction than to go to the Ohio State University. I only state that as a suggestion coming from a member of the Board. It is my belief now that it would be better to locate the fair permanently, and instead of cramming the fair all into one week, to carry it through two or three weeks as an exposition. That would bring people here to the State Fair in great numbers, and it does seem to me, in looking over the matter, that an institution of that kind might be made one of resources. Gentlemen can see the propriety of its taking that direction, and I do not suppose there is a gentleman in the house but that would like to see it take such a direction. That is another reason in my mind for passing this resolution. It is merely a resolution to feel our way; and if the State Fair was permanently located here, and take on it also the character of an exposition, in such case I have no doubt it would run all the better, in fact, the two should go hand in hand. This being, apparently, in conformity with the act of the United States government in giving the 630,000 acres of land for the establishment of a college which is required to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, I can not see any incongruity in connecting these institutions in the manner referred to.

L. B. WING: Many suggestions have been thrown out in the discussions upon this resolution, which, perhaps, may afford thought for reflection. I think the most of them are impracticable; nevertheless it may be well enough, perhaps, to consider them. I think, however, that the discussion has gone far enough, and I move that the whole matter go upon the table. I would say first, however, that I do not think it well to present the petition referred to to the General Assembly. I say; let us not trouble the General Assembly with any propositions of this kind.

Let us not ask for legislation in this direction now. We have been holding our State Fairs for thirty years past, and now that the emergency with us has passed, and we are in pretty good condition; let us be satisfied And whenever the city of Columbus or any other location desire to have the permanent location, let us then consider the matter. We have it located this year here. I thank the gentlemen of the Convention for the resolution and for the suggestions made, but think it not profitable to spend further time in the discussion now, and therefore move that the resolution be laid upon the table.

The motion was agreed to.

S. HARMOUNT offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the State Board of Agriculture be requested to negotiate with the Commissioners of Franklin county, or other authorities or officers, in reference to securing the County Fair grounds as a permanent location for the State Fair, and report their action at the next annual Convention.

W. B. MCCLUNG: I would like to amend the resolution so as to read "The Commissioners of Franklin county or the citizens of Columbus." The amendment was accepted, and the resolution, as amended, was adopted.

G. W. CAREY, of Warren, offered the following:

Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention are tendered to the members of the Senate for the use of the Senate Chamber for the purpose of holding this Convention.

The resolution was unanimously adopted.

L. B. WING offered a resolution tendering the thanks of the Convention to the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate for his services as Sergeant-atArms during the sessions of the Convention.

The resolution was unanimously adopted.

Mr. CASWELL, of Erie, offered the following resolution:

WHEREAS, The present organization of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture fails to secure the united support of the people of all parts of the State; and,

WHEREAS, In consequence of this lack of support the annual fairs of the State Society are, virtually, but little more than local in their benefits; therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of this Convention that the statute providing for the organization of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture should be so amended as to provide for the election of a member of the Board by each county society in the State.

Resolved, That the statutes should be so amended that the annual fairs of the State Society should be held at the Capital of the State; and that the State Board of Agriculculture should be recognized as a State institution in fact as well as in theory.

Mr. CASWELL: Our State Board is elected by the representatives from the different counties of the State, who hold their membership during the year. The State Board, as an organization, requires permanent

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