The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-22
SITE OF THE BIG FAIR.
AGRICULTURIsTs ANXIOUS TO
HAVE 200 ACRES.

me Illinois Board Will Fight the
Lake Front Site on the Ground That
it is Too Small-If They are Beaten
They Won't Exhibit.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, July 21.-One of the
surprises Of the extra session of the Illinois
legislature, which is to assemble tomorrow.
will be the aggressive part that is to be
played by the Illinois state board Of agri-
culture in the coming worlds fair legisla.
ton. 1t has been known all along that the
Illinois board of agriculture is bitterly op-
posed to the location of the fair on the lake
front, the reason being that they allege that
that site, however much 1t may be
improved and filed in, will be en-
tirely inadequate to the accommoda-
tion of the agricultural exhibits that such
an occasion will call forth. When the
Chicago directors were considering this
subject a delegation of the state board of
agriculture appeared before them and pre-
sented certain documents praying that the
worlds fair site be such a one as would
afford ample accommodation for agricul-
tn al exhibits, and insisting that the lake
front would be entirely inadequate.
A COMMITTEE APPOINTED.
Since the worlds fair site has been ap-
proved by the national committee, subse-
quent differences of opinion have arisen in
Chicago which render the appr wal possibly
subject to recommendation, and the state
board of agriculture has met and appointed
committee to present to the general assem-
bly, at its special session the views of the
agrlculturists Of the country on the world 8
fair site. This committee consists Ct the
following members of the Illinois
safe board: George S. Haskell president Of
the board; John Virgin, j. Quincy Pierce,
Lafayette Funk, David Gore and f. &.
Lewis. These gentlemen are expected in
the city tomorrow, and will lose no time in
presenting the views of the state board to
the assembled Legislators.
Secretary Garrard of the state board of
agriculture was to-day asked TO define the
position which that body would take ON the
fair question.
CONCLUSION OF THE BOARD.
"Our board" said he, "has considered
this question fully and arrived at the opin-
ion that under no circumstances can the
lake front site be made adequate. When
we say purposes of exhibition, we take it
for granted that it will be at once ac-
knowledged that one Of the purposes of an
American exposition is the exhibition of the
agricultural products of this great agricul-
tural country. The wealth of the nation
lies chiefly i'll agriculture, and the most at
tractive part of the fair to for
eigners will be the exhibits Of the
states Of the union. Under no cir
cumstances anu by no expenditure of
funds within the reach of the worlds fair
directors can the lake front site be made
adequate to the demands of this great
combined agricultural exposition. We dc
not desire to be placed in the position of at
tempting to dictate to the worlds fail
directors where they shall select the site foI
the exposition. but we insist, as representa-
tives OF the agricultural interests Of the
country, that the site shall be one that will
supply every demand for space.
HEAVY DEMANDS.
1.-THE greatest demands for space in the ex.
position will come from the state board OF
agriculture that will be vested by the action
of the legislature with the collection of the
agricultural exhibits of the various states.
Four hundred acres Of land would not be
an excess for agricultural exhibits. Two
hundred acres will be the minimum which
will accommodate the states Of the union.
Why California alone asked for forty
acres for agriculture fruit and vintage,
and will probably not be satisfied with less
than fifteen or thirty. The state Of Illinois
will want forty acres if the demands of the
will ask for from five to ten acres, their de-
mands depending upon the agricultural i'm
portance of the respective states. All told,
we can't get along with less than 200 acres.
1t is absolutely impossible to give us this
200 acres If the lake front is selected, and
we will not be satisfied with the site. We
want united site and not divided one.
SPEAKING FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY.
"We have conferred fully with the state
boards Of many states of the union, and in
the representations which we will make to
the Illinois general assembly we claim to
represent the agricultural interests of the
whole United States. We don't say that
Jackson park shall be selected,
yet we think it is the only
site contemplated which will afford
accommodations. But we do say that if
the worlds fair exposition Of 1898 is to be
a success, it must afford ample accommo-
dations for the exhibition Of agricultural
industry, which is represented by three
fifths of the population of this great repub-
lie of 60.000,000. Every board Of agricul-
ture of other states is looking to the state
board of agriculture Of Illinois to take care
Of this subject, and in the demands
which we make upon the legislature we
are the representatives not only of the
Illinois board, but Of the state boards of
agriculture Of the United States"
"What will your state do, however, in
case your recommendations are disregarded
and the lake front is selectedf'
ut is my opinion that in case the lake
front is selected the Illinois state board of
agriculture will drop the su ject
and not make any exhibit That
will be their action certainly if left
to their judgment. In the event of the
legislature not making an Appropriation in
this matter and instructing the state board
to take charge and make an exhibit, they
would carry out the provisions of the law.
But il is their opinion that il the lake front
is selected as a site the boards of the country
will regard the worlds fair in advance as a
failure, and no successful exhibition of the
agriculture of the country will be made"