The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-10-13
PRESERVING THE STATE EH-
RlBIT.

AS the time for the closing of the
fair draws at hand, the question OF
what shall be done which the Mime
sofa exhibit is more or less agitated.
The Mortified NelCS calls attention
to a provision Of the laws OF 1891
which is as follows.
SAT the close of said worlds fair all
exhibits now belonging. to the state or
hereafter acquired with cannot be
disposed of with pecuniary advantage,
shall be turned over to and become the
property of the University OF the State
of Minnesota; but such exhibits as
said university cannot conveniently
care for shall be turned over to and
become the property of the State
Agricultural Society OF the State of
Minnesota"
There are many exhibits which
have been put into the hands of the
state commission, which were simply
loaned for the occasion, and Of
course cannot be retained. There are
many, however, which coul1 probably
be secured and should be. 1t would
IL
kept together. Upon this matter
the St. Paul Globe Monday contained
some excellent remarks, from viii h
we clip the following:
In the state building and scattered
through the departmental buildings
machinery hall, agricultural, fisheries,
mines and mining, fine arts. hOrticul-
tural and women'S buildingS-are to
be found the most complete display of
our natural products, our manufac-
lures and industries that has ever
been gotten tOgeJher-a display that
in all probability could never be du-
plicated and on that account possesses
value which cannot be OvereStimat-
ed. Some of the other states have al
ready taken measures to preserve
their exhibits for the benefit of future
generations, but as yet Minnesota has
not made any such provisions.
The Globe regards the preservation,
in permanent form, of the Minnesota
exhibits as OF the highest concern to
the state. 1t would be impossi ble, of
course, to preserve articles of a perish
able nature, such as fruits, flowers and
grains, but, aside from these, the state
has wealth Of treasure at Chicago. 1t
has cost the state handsome sum to
collect and prepare it for exhibition.
That money need not prove total
loss if steps are Immediately taken to
utilize the exhibits. There are many
articles now in Chicago that can
never be duplicated at whaterer cost,
and there are many others that will,
in the course of time, be worth more
than their weight in gold. Is is not
the duty of the state authorities to
take some steps toward the preServa-
tion of these exhibits? They would
be more than nucleus of magnifi-
cent museum-they would be a
museum in themselves, of surpaSS-
ing interest, not only to our own citi-
ZenS but to the strangers who might
be within our gates.
1t is doubtful if ever again there
will be gathered together as complete
collection of specimen Of our
mineral resources, our timber woods,
our game birds, animals and fish, our
relics of past days or evidences Of our
present prosperity and progress in the
arts and manufactures. These should
all be preserved for the benefit of pos
terity. They can be cared for at a
nominal expense until such time as a
larger outlay may be practicable.
Temporary quarters might be procur-
ed by the state at small expense
where everything of permanent value
now in Chicago might be stored or
displayed, and when the new capitol
is erected, if ever, the present capitol
building might be devoted to the pur-
poses of the permanent museum.
Upon the state historical society
herhaps, should involve the duty of
taking the initiative in this manner.
Its present collection is valuable one
1T could be made ten-fold more valu-
able by selections made Judiciously
from the Chicago exhibits. The show
cases of their display are already the
property of the state, and there would
be no opposition in any quarter in
turning them, as well as all other state
belongings connected with the fair,
over to the custody and care of the
historical society.
The Globe thinks that the state his