Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-07-20
WORLDS FAIR LETTER.
CHICAGO, July S. 1898

DEAR sIR:-Ye sterday / received
by letter a clipping from the Great
Bend Tribune. by Mr.. Townsley editor,
giving very unfavorable description
Of the exhibit made by Kansas at the
Worlds Columbian Exposition. Those
not in possession OF the facts, will
probably conclude that when the COM
missioners left Kansas for Chicago
they packed all the exhibits in their
grip sacks.
In reviewing the old mans article i
want to avoid saying anything harsh.
for have always had great respect for
old age, and feel assured that ere this
exposition closes his statements will
be thoroughly disproved, not only his
statements, but others of like charac-
ter.
In looking over our books this morn
ing find we had from ten to twelve
car loads of exhibits shipped to us from
Kansas, and most of them of the very
finest quality. What do you suppose
has become of them. Well / will tell
you kind readers. They are all here
artistically arranged on the walls and
pyramids inside the Kansas State
Building, and on fine Pavilion
in the Agricultural Building. Only
few days ago the chief of the Agricul-
tural Department complemented me
on our fine display il the Agricultural
building.
All Of our decorating was done under
the direction of Mr.. II. H. Kern who
is probably the best grain decorator in
in the state. Even the state of Mis-
souri, of whom Mr.. T. speaks so fiatter-
ingly would have given him a much
larger salary to superintend their deco
rating than he was paid by the state of
Kansas. Mr.. 7. says he could not find
the register, and would not have reg
istered if he had. Well, that evens
that all up. but the truth is, he was
so blinded with prejudice he could not
see anything. Surely There are none
so blind as those who will not see.''
He did manage to see some red and
yellow stripes on the walls. You
know red and yellow are very promin-
ent colors and very easily discovered.
The red Mr.. I. saw was the back
ground or lining on the walls, to help
show off the grain decorations. He
did not see those bright colors in any
of the other buildings or pavillions. If
he did he no doubt greatly admired
them. The yellow stripes he imagined
he saw on the walls was fine yellow
corn. grown in Kansas, and beauti-
fully arranged and greatly admired by
thousands of people who visit us each
day clothed in their right minds. In
his judgement all the other states were
modes of perfection, nothing wrong
but Kansas. The truth of it all is
that Kansas is all right here, but he
was all wrong.
Then again he was terribly disgust
ed oyer our mineral display. IA few
bars of lead and a few pigs Of iron
strewn about here and there-no Or
der or system" Now Townsley dom t
you know you--abOut that? Don t
you know we have tons of zinc, lead,
and other valuable ores, as fine IS can
be found anywhere in the United
States, and nicely and artisticly ar
ranged? If l have an opportunity, l
will have the exhibit photographed
just to show him how incorrect his
statements are. 1t is in one corner of
the building near the main entrance
the place allotted to the old board; it
is a very nice place for our exhibit,
Some states had to copy it and we did
not kick on it.
He says there was nothing here to
represent the intelligence and pros
perity of the state: the church and ed
vocational interests were not represen-
ted -
That made me laugh. The idea of a
man being concerned about the
welfare of the churches who was then
writing an article that he we'll knew
did not Intentionally contain a word
of truth from the beginning to the end
ing. AS to the educational interests,
we have a large room in the State
building set apart especially for that
purpose and under the direct manage
ment of some of the best educators in
the state. And in addition another
nice exhibit of like character in the
comparative department. l suppose
the educational department was like
the register-he couldn't find it. 1t is
very hard for people who come here
for no other pun pose than to find fault
to see anything they ought to see. He
says he found ''waterless fountain
away off in an obscure part of the
building with the silver cups tied up
in bags" What Gods blessing it
would be for the state of Kansas if
some things in it were tied up in bags
along with a few bricks and thrown in
to the rivers.
d.