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Clyde Herring ran for Governor in 1920 and lost. He ran for U. S. Senator in 1922 and lost. Ten years later political good fortune came his way for the first time. Today Iowans, predominantly rural and Republican, have grown fond of their urban, Democratic Governor. They like the way he putters around his garden and greenhouse, growing flowers for the poor in a Des Moines charity hospital.. They like his quiet voice, his modest ways. Typically last week Governor Herring spent all his time at the Fair looking at prize Hampshire sheep, Holstein cattle, watching the trotting races. He did not visit the Midway. Nor did he kiss any babies. One, aged 2, he accidentally bowled over, picked up as the child's father exclaimed: "He's a lucky kid. It isn't everyone who can be knocked down by the Governor." And Governor Herring made no speech. What he did keep saying over & over, however, was a solid economic fact of large significance to Iowa: "It's the greatest exposition in seven years. . . . Greatest in seven years. . . ."
Stock. Iowans recognize only one State Fair as a rival to theirs, that of Texas. But the Texas Fair lasts a fortnight, four days longer than Iowa's. State pride aside, the factor which might cause an unbiased observer to mark the Iowa State Fair No. 1 in the nation is its cattle show. Housed in six of the largest of the 21 Fair buildings last week were 6,000 head of cattle from 23 States. In addition, the 4-H Club stock show was the largest in the land with 1,600 animals.
In, the big ring just west of the Horse Barn and north of the Baby Beef Barn, judging went on all last week. There were Hampshire sheep whose tails had just been neatly cleaned by their owners. There were spotted Poland China sows whose great bellies and splotched hides looked like fat men in polka dots. There were Holstein bulls, their fine loose hides wrinkled about their necks like capes. For winners of the general stock show there was $70,000 in prize money. But this did not go into the pockets of ordinary Iowa farmers, who have no business with or use for a $50,000 champion bull. The champions are generally owned by professional breeders from all over the Union who tour the State Fair circuit not for pride but for profit. About the best the average Iowan hoped to pick up last week was $3 for the winning sample of potatoes, beets or alfalfa.
Few Iowa farmers, however, go to the Fair to see its cows, hay, pickles or even the elaborate farm machinery shows put on by Deere & Co., Chevrolet Motor Co., De Laval or Allis-Chalmers. Most of them go to meet friends, to eat taffy, to see the automobile races, to hear speeches, to watch plays, to ride roller-coasters and to have general non-professional fun. Biggest single attraction that packed thousands of Iowans onto the Fair Grounds at Des Moines last week, breaking 1934 attendance records almost daily and finally smashing last year's total, was the Midway.