The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-09
THE WORLDS FAIR MIDDLE.
A Frank Letter From MT. Meeker-
Light Upon Doings OF Commission.

organization of the Worlds fair commission.
but the lesson taught while some OF US thought
ourselves to be above the common herd ought
not to be lost. radical difference arose az
once between myself as executive commissioner
and a large majority of the gentlemen conpos-
ing the executive COMMITTEES of nine, which,
we all assumed, welded the powers and was TO
perform the duties devolving upon the commits
sion.
/ held and still hold that by virtue OF my Sc
lection a. executive commissioner. was the
executive head in charge OF the work. The
law says 30 in specific words: "Shall be author
lied and required to assume and exercise, sub
jet TO the supervision OF the commission, all
such executive powers and functions as may be
necessary to secure q complete and creditable
display of the interests OF the state a. the
Worlds Columbian exposition OF 1898; and as
the executive agent of said commission. he
shall have personal charge of the solicit
nent and exhibition OF the objects
sent under the authority OF the state. "
There are no duties of the executive committee
defined In the act except they "may expend not
to exceed 5000 year for their expenses" 1t
must be conceded that the committee has lost
no time in performing this duty, will be
shown later by the array of cold figures BY an
excerpt from the state auditors record.
Now, IL does seem incredible that there should
be any possible Misunderstanding as TO the
duties and authority of the executive commits
sioner. | hold that be 10 the sole executive
power; the com mission is the directing author
ity ("supervising" the act says. The attempt
made to create the impression that
was attempting to dictate the pol
icy of the commission Is misleading.
/ have done nothing OF the kind. /
hold, in its broadcast sense, that to
be within the power OF the COM
mission. This power undoubtedly ought
to be exercised by some committee comprised
of its own members, like that OF the executive
committee, but that is q question resting solely
with the commission. The executive commits
sioner is the agent OF the commission to do.
within the letter and spirit OF the act, what it
requires to be done, viz: "For the purpose OF
exhibiting the resources, products and general
development OF the state of Washington at the
Worlds Columbian exposition"
Now, proposed to apply strict business rules
in this work. The committee proposed to apply
what is called political methods. / proposed to
call assistants in the work only as we became
organized, knew what we wanted, and needed
them. Tie committee proposed to appoint lot
OF Observation-Disclosures or more-within
twelve hours after my appointment as executive
commissioner. There were three full-szed can
didates for one position (mining superintendent)
right away. This before we had a mining de-
partInent or any other department Mind you,
each OF department" and to be appointed by
the committee. The executive commissioners
was to have nothing to say about it This
scheme fell to pieces of its own weight at the
first committee meeting after my appointment as
executive commissioner, only to be renewed at
the next.
Every member of the committee present will
remember the scene at the meeting when this
motion was egain made, seconded and about to
be put by the chairman of the committee, and
which everyone knows would have carried ex-
cept for what followed. l then and there said
to those gentlemen that ''if you pass this reso-
luton want you to call the commission together
and elect executive commissioner, for you sru
hare taken the step that DiH result in failure, and lido
not propose to hare my name connected with IT,"
said then, and ! say now that only by leav-
ingthe executive commissioner untrammeied in
selecting assistants can there be any assurance
OF efficiency in the work. Let every assistant
look to the executive head only, aud then you
can have harmony of action. Let half dozen
semi-independent superintendent be on the
work and there would be confusion worse con-
founded" as is now SO clearly evidenced By the
waste of energy applied by the committee TO eff
fectually block the way.
Every enterprise of every kind mus. have an
executive head whose power to promptly act
must be ample, but who must be finally respon-
sible TO the controlling power, which in this
set out in the law and rests with the executive
commissioner Il is amazing that the commit
tee should have claimed otherwise. II they
were right in the position taken now In the
published proceedings of the committee, the
only way would be for them TO remain In con-
tinuous session
now want TO call attention to the financial
proceedings of the COMMITTEES. without war
rant OF law and without action by the commits
sion ss required, estimates were filed with the
state auditor, signed by the president and secre-
tary of the commission, and $3.50 drawn from
the state treasury. II now transpires that these
signatures were based upon the action of the
executive committee and that they deceived
the auditor. The signatures were clearly un-
authorized, but they were positively necessary
before the money could be drawn.
Now for the sequel. The following estimates
or acquisitions taken from the records show
what was drawn, date of same, and the purpose
to which the funds were to be applied:
REoUIsITIoN FOR PERIOD ENDING JUNE 80. 1891.
1. April "a. 1ss1-salary and expenses of ex-
ecutive commissioner. .......-...........$ 500
2. Salary of clerk of executive committee
anu press agent. -.---......-...-...-.-... 5oO
3 Printing. 100
4. Expenses OF executive committee...... 400
5. Procuring and preparing exhibits and in
6. Expenses of trip TO Chicago to select site 800
REoUIsrTIoE FOR PERIOD ENDING JULY 81, 1891.
2. salaryand expenses of executive commit
tee .......... u 600
g. Salary of clerk and press sgent.... 500
8. Travelling and other expenses of commis-
sioners. ......,..-...-...+.-....... 500
10. Travelling and other expenses of execu-
tive commissioner ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 300
IL. Procuring and preparing exhibits and
lnclueutaI Items. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1OO
These items are numbered for convenient refer
ence in this article and show an aggregate of
$500. Upon inquiry at the Office of the treas.
urer of the commission, 1t is found that only
sl,S52.10 remain unexpended. OF these eleven
items five properly belong to the work of the
executive commissioner, viz: Nos. ], 5, 6, 7 and
Il, aggregating $500. OF this / have received
$500 only and have been positively refused any
further sum, although required to, and did give
a pond which has been approved in the sum of
$4,000 for the proper application of the funds
Meanwhile the committee having come into
possession of this fund, have actually ex-
pended s6f790 of it Not one member of this
committee has given bonds.
Again, this investigation is the first informa-
ton have had for 1880 tor trip TO Chicago"
What on earth does a mar want $500 for a trip to
Chicago for? Ny recent trip, including i've days
expenses in Chicago, IS will in due time be
shown in detail, cost exactly sil668 Then no.
tce items Nos. and s, $1,000 for O "press
agent" charge that that position is unneces-
sary, uncalled for and waste of funds There
are three members on that committee that have
voluntarily expressed themselves of the same
mind, yet no voice has been raised against it
now, as commissioner from Pierce county, en-
ter my protest against il and demand the return
of this money. 1t has from the first been unau-
thorized.