St. Landry democrat., 1889-11-09
Exposition Director~Generai,
Ex PRESIDENT CLEVELAND AND Ex~sB

EX-PREsIDENT CLEVELAND AND Ex~sEC~
RETARY WHITNEY NAMED.
A plan has been under informal discus
sion for several days among members of
| the general committee for the World s
Fair by which it is proposed to transfer the
active management for preparations for
the fair to few officials, to be appointed
under the system by which the prepara-
tons were conducted for the Exposition at
Paris There is no disposition however,
to find fault with anything that has been
done up to this time by either the commit
tee on site and buildings or by the finance
committee
| 1t is thought among those who have
been trying to devise plan that will yield
similarly sure and quick results that per-
haps 1t will be well to pattern after Paris
in this respect. At Paris there was official
authority for the exposition in the first
place, and everyone understood that it vas
to be constructed under the direction of
the State and the municipality. That ex
plains the authority of the Minister of
| Commerce and Industry to constitute him
self director general of the exposition. In
this country, where government super
vision is not to be expected, it will be
necessary to select as director general
| some citizen whose name and influence
| will be potent to all merchants and public
| spirited people everywhere man himself
| in circumstances that place him above any
| selfish ambition in connection with his
office and one whose name is known
| throughout the country, who commands a
! large measure of popularity, who has few
or no public opponents or enemies, and
who, from his own financial, social and
political position, can command a respect
full hearing before Congress and tie ad-
ministration. 1t is believed that if such a
man can be found it would be quite safe
to intrust him with the appointment of the
heads of the various departments of finance
works. arts and architecture and executive
management, but lest any one man shall
be invested with autocratic power, it has
been thought best to leave the appointment
of the heads of departments, as we'll as
director general, to the general committee.
The plan as above outlined, will proba-
BILE be submitted to the executive commit
tee at an early meeting. Meanwhile it is
quite certain names will be suggested for
the various offices above indicated. Al
ready discussion has begun. The two
names suggested for the office of director
general are those of ex President Cleveland
anu w ILL., " " ultDeJ- uNft is HltlC
doubt that Mr.. Cleveland could be chosen
for the position with substantial unanimity
but for the double prospect that he might
decline to serve and that perhaps it would
not be altogether expedient or wholly I'M
attended with embarrassment if he was put
in position in which he might become an
advocate or petitioner before Republican
Congress and administrator
Those who urged Mr. Whitney are conf.
dent that no sentiment could possibly be
reused against him on political grounds,
although his political aspirations seem to
be pretty well understood and that he
would bring to the position wide popular
ity, executive skill social influence and the
degree of personal worth and wealth neces
sary to place the position where it would
be respected and where it would yield the
most satisfactory results. 1t is believed
that capitalists East and West, with either
of these gentlemen in charge as director
general, would feel that their subscri ptions
would be in safe hands aud would be Incl
ted to deal with the project upon basis of
generosity not otherwise to be hoped for.