Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-26
EXPOSITION OR MOP
waAr PRESIDENT sraRKE Is DOING TO
Further THE SNfEapRrsr.
hsis Hard at Work on 1t, and Sees no Rea.
son Why II should not DO
Great Success.

We are waiting, said he, for the meet
ing OF the life-membes on the 7th of
March. At that NEE NC il will be de-
decided whether the hfe.members will
subscribe 10 the new organization, &c.
We have abou, done ali that can be done
until We know the will OF these members
IN the matter
What legislation do you yet need?
We have gotten all the legislation we
asked for at the hands Of the General
Assembly, and all that is required. We
have now TO secure the consent OF the
City Council rs TO the conversion of the
debt due the city. We anticipate no
hositancy here, since the many assn
RANGES from nearly il not all the indi-
Vidual members OF the Council indicate
that they will be quick to do anything
reasonable which promises so much good
20 the city.
THE LIFE-AIEMBERs.
What do you think will be the de-
ciSion OF the life-members
Well, answered Mr.. Stsrke, / can't
Say. OF course. have received perhaps
200 proxies placing the power to act III
the hands of gentlemen in this city. l
have reason to believe that great many
more have been sent in that have not
been reported. With many of those /
have myself received letters have come,
sll bidding me 90 on with the work by
oil means, and praying that Richmond
will show herself more than equal to the
project.
RICHMOND.
Will the businessmen OF Richmond
help you?
Wen, have got to have some sub
stantial pledges that they will, and with
their whole strength, or | shall not
attempt the exposition. After all the
labor of mind and body have expend-
ed figuring out the scheme, securing
legislation, discussing, corresponding,
and travelling. | can hardly think that
my fellow-cltizens would expect me to
keep right on unaided. / should have
70 neglect my private business far be
yond anything that / could afford if
] were to take upon myself the
whole responsibility. What they will
DO towards taking the stock by
which TO raise the necessary capt.
tal remains 10 he seen, and
when all that is deserved in this line is
had | expect 20 delegate the work TO
beads of different departments made up
OF our citizens, and must have each one
of these to feel that as much responsible
ity rests upon him as upon me. Unless |
can get men to come forward and take
bold in this manner we had as well drop
the matter where it is. Ny purpose is
10 call meeting of our citizens the day
after the meeting of the hfe-members
and then and there hear what they have
10 say. ! want the largest meeting Of
our buSness-citizeDs ever seen and | de-
sire TO hear them speak out as they have
never done before.
SOUTHERN EXPOsITIONs
Whit lid you learn, Mr.. Starke, by
your nip South =?
First / learned how much value
Atlanta and the people of Georgia place
upon the expositions they have held,
iand far exceeded anything that | had
supposed. This is shown to some ex-
tent in the fact that this year they will
have an exposition in Atlanta, another
in augusta, and "a grand State fair IN
MaQon. While in Macon a committee
pfnerchants from Augusta came over
lo)ursuade Macon 10 JOIN the latter in
inner exposition, but Macon said No,
" cannot afford 10 sleep even one year
q must have something to let the world
how we are alive. l inspected all the
Kbibition buildings and grounds. They
DID me how they worked and what their
experience has been in handling crowds,
occurring exhibitions, ecOnomizing ex-
,enses, &C. &c. They made some
,lunders, which will not be repeated.
)ur grounds are ten-fold better situated
nd a hundred fold better adapted to
uch a thing than Atlanta's. AT the
meeting on the 7th Major Venable, who
isited Jacksonville's sub-tropical expo
ition and gathered store OF informa-
,ov, and myself will give in detail what
se saw. can only say that am more
impressed than ever with the great value
hat such an exposition will be to us as
I people and city.
NORTH CAROLINA.
| want TO see if we can't get North
rarolina to join with us and make "A
NORTH Carolina department in the exhi-
xbition. Our interests are identical. We
conflict in nothing that l can recall. SO,
Thy not make it the more attractive by
having the two States represented to the
Exhibitors of the country and at the
same time augment the attendance there
by?
l am more impressed with the great
Rood that must accrue If We can get eX-
bibitions of those classes of simple ma
chinery which are used to-day IN the
manufacture of many Of the staple arti-
les which could be made at the smallest
kind Of outlay in our rural districts.
Here is the great starting point for us
We want more villages and larger towns
incur State, and in this line they must
he built up. There are thousand and
bne things which can be made easily in
INV county in our State If our people
bnly knew how simple the processes
Ind what they are. How better can
We tell them ?
THE ELEMENT OF TINE.
Do you think that there is enough
time between now and next fall to get 1t
mp? ,.,.
Atlanta was ready for her exhibition
100 DAYS after the first pick was stuck IN,
And she had an enormous quantity OF
@cavatiug to do. the like of which We
will not have. jacksonville got ready in
rs time. We can do the same thing If
We can get men and money enough
Say we would start April LIST, until DC
tober list would be six months. But
when We start it must be sure enough
start. no side-tracking nor pull-backs.
SO far as am concerned, added Mr.
Starke. having labored here TO bring us
this far, l would be glad to have
the new organization elect some
other leader and let me be a helper.
] will do my full part. but If ii be posi-
bic thus 10 stimulate some one better
capacitated fer the work than myself,
and there are many such in our city, l
would be only too glad to cooperate
with him as the leader. | believe such
an exposition, carefully and studionsly
accomplished by the heartiest co-opera-
ZION OF our whole people, will do more
a.. a. ,,,aifare and deVelODment OF our