The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-16
KANSAS AT THE WORLDS FAIR.

To the Editor OF the Eagle
"Did YOU see Kansas at the Worlds
Fair? is the pertinent query of many
friends. The answer is, of course | did,
Just as | see Kansas everywhere and
under all conditions. Who, within the
/ last decade, has found spot SO seques-
tered that no Kansas product has found
way to its market? Who would enter
tain the absurdIty of state, national or
international exhibit without Kansas in
the front ranks of competition? Exam
sas ribs of beef" are prime necessity
on every hotel table west Of st. Peters
burg; Kansas corn, Kansas wheat and
| Kansas zephyrs control the grain and
I, wind" market of the world. Kansas
melons are the biggest; Kansas fruit the
richest, and Kansas girls the sweetest
that the sun doth shine upon. The Kan
sas voter-he was there, too, but what
of HIM?
He always comes from somewhere
nobody is young enough to be born here.
He is not the drOne who lacks the nerve
10 break loose from paternal moorings
and come west, he is not the miser who
gathers his dollars one at a time and
hords them i'll sleepless agony lest one
or hundred might fall into the hands
of ''grasping corporation" in the way
of railroad fare; he is not the cormoTant
who sits on Sue topmost branch and
with eagle eye looks down upon the
harvest Of sheckels gathered in by his
neighbors for his exclusive use and ben
eft. No, he is the very antipodes to
all these. Brave, generous, restless,
full of adventure and ever in
the van of progress, he is
equipped for any service between the
extremes of Populist and patriot, and
ready for every duty of soldier or
civilian.
At the worlds fair? How could he
sit down in the narrow confines Of a
single state and wait for another quad
rennial exhibit of what the world has to
show? Yes, he's there, busy as bee,
noting every item, comparing, con-
| trasting, interrogating and studying ma
tional types and habits; weighing,
tasting and handling every product, and
/ will hazard the statement that he
will see more in a given time than any
man who confines himself to Lake
Michigan water for beverage. He has
| box at the theater, catching the per-
! fume provided for royal noses: he
| borrows prayer book which serves as d
passport to choice pew in the church;
he takes the front seat in the grip car
and the top seat on the taliyho: he hands
/ his card TO the captain of the whaleh;,ck
| and swaps stories with the pilot: he is
! "a =. ~ -,
| accommodating imperturbaaie kansan.
| Under the dazzling Splendor of Iowa S
state exhibit he makes 4 point that the
crop returns for Kansas last year IN Ike
/ a better exhibit Il an the combined show
OF corn, beets and pumpkins OF the en-
! tire Mississippi valley. He perambulates
the half mile walk on the manufac-
! turers' building aud deplcres the
waste of virgin soil which might
| take the place Of Lake Michigan. lie
ambles his way into the noon concert
at music hall hoping to hear the Home,
Sweet Home" the familiar note in imi-
| tation of some free prairie Songster; he
| sailieS forth to salute the lady in gold
attire with excuse me madam, is YOUR
| name Lease? Under the archiug dome
of the administration building he looks
heavenward and calls it typical of the
infinite meadows OF heaven as seen from
our own sunlit prairies. In the gallery
of Immortal names and features in the
government building he halts to drop a
tear at the feet of the heroes of sc
with an indifferent cUncealment OF
emotion as he dimly sees the solar in.
scripti0n: "Ad astra per aspera."
At the fair: 4eS. and he will be there
ill the gates are closed: there 10 tell of
our glorious sunshine and our bountIfui
harvests; there TO talk OF our diversified
resources, and the inducements we offer
10 men and women; there 10 acquire and
treasure up the object-ieSsoas cleaned
| from the victories and achievements ol
other nations; there 10 maintain and de
fend the honored name OF Kansas.