Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-06-15
DISGRACE TO THE STATE.
What Commodore Power Has to Say in Re
gard to the Montana Exhibit
Helena independent

Helena independent.
Commodore Power is thoroughly
disgusted with the Montana end OF
the Worlds Fair and is not at all
slow in expressing his views. He re-
turned from the east yesterday, and
in talking OF the Worlds Fair said:
"The exhibit is disgrace to the state.
For an expenditure of 100000 we
have S25, 900 show, and it makes a
Montana man sorry to seeit. Idon't
know where the blame lies, but think
that the people of the state should
have shown more interest in the mat
ter. Judge Bickford is a nice fellow
and has done the best he could, but it
was impossible to make an exhibit
without the cooperation of the peo-
pie of the state. There has been alto
gether too much money squandered
for salaries to give such provision for
the exhibit as it should have. The
exhibit of minerals is fairly good, but
it makes a Montanian acquainted
with our resources tired to look at
the rest. Think, for instance, of the
wonderful coal mines OF this state.
All to show for this at the fair
is small bunch of Jumps, not one OF
which is as large as your head. The
largest piece of coal there comes from
Washington, while the Pennsylvania
and Wyoming exhibits are magnificent.
Then again to think that with all our
splendid granite and sandstone not a
piece of either can be found at Chi
cago. No finer granite in the world is
| found than that of Montana and yet
no one would ever know it from the
Montana exhibit at the Worlds Fair.
| The agricultural exhibit is tucked
away in side alley away from all no.
tice and very poor when you see it.
The Montana building is worth about
$4,000. Gouc find it on fairgrounds
by looking for the most insignificant
state building in the poorest location.
The fact OF the matter is that we have
been outgeneralled at all points 10y
the other states, two-thirds OF them
having smaller appropriations than
Montana They beat us in state
buildings and exhibits, but what is
most humiliating is to be beaten by
our nearest neighbors, Washington,
Idaho, Utah and the Dakotas. 1t is
however, by no means too late to
make the Montana exhibit worthy o.
praise. The people of the state ought
now to spare no efforts to send &C
Chicago evidence of our resources in
all forms. Great Falls is going to
make a special exhibit, and Helena
should do the same. Within fouI
miles OF our city we have magnificent
quarries of the finest granite. Our
board of trade should send an exhibit
of this along with several of the mon
uments cut from it. The railroads
would certainly help us, and the re
suit would in a measure redeem ouI
very unsatisfactory showing at the
exposition. Montanians are great
people when aroused, and / sincerely
hope that their patriotism will nerve
them to the point of making an ex
hibit OF which they will not be wholly
ashamed. The tremendous value o
the opportunities afforded for adver
tising the state do not seem to have
been appreciated, even to a small de
! gree. Let us try to do something nov
to show the world that Montana Ii
one of the states in this union" Con
cerning the fair itself the commodor
said: "It is grand beyond compre
hension. No language OF mine can de
scribe the impression made by a cur
sorry glance at the grounds and build
ings. i never appreciated the exten
: and wealth of its exhibits until | IN
dertook to see a very small part
Every Montanian ought to visit tn
fair. 1t is an education, and wort
} many times more than theinvestmen
for expenses"