The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-02-01
THE COTTON STATES EXPOSITION

The cotton states and international
exposition which is to be held at At
lanta next fall, is an exposition upon
a much larger scale than most people
are aware Of 1t is not to be an expo
sition on the scale of those which
from time to time have been gotten
i! up by the various leading cities of the
United States, but is one gotten up on
an international plan. Harper's
Weekly of last week devOtes an en-
tire page to setting forth the scope of
this new venture which will mean
much to the south. At the worlds
fair at Chicago, the south did not
cut much of figure. This is said to
be largely due from the fact that the
south did not realize the full meaning
of the magnificent opportunity which
was presented it., to place itself be-
fore the world. But long before that
exposition was over they fully recog-
nized the fact that mistake had
been made in not getting in on the
ground floor, and so the present
scheme had it's inception.
"The central aim,' says Harper's
Weekly, sis an exhibit of the resources
of the southern states, such as will
show to the outside world what these
states possess, and also an exhibit of
the wealth and resources of the coun-
tries south of us; in order that those
countries may be brought in close
touch with our own, and that the
commerce of those countries may be
diverted from Europe to the parts of
the parts of the United States, es-
pecially to the parts of the southern
states"
The park in which this exposition
is located, is said to be beautiful
tract of land covering about 100
acres, and the birds-eye view which
Harper's presents of the grounds as
they will appear is a most attractive
one, and goes far toward justifying
the claim put forth by it's projectors
that as an exposition it will be second
only to the worlds fair, of those
which have been held in this country.
The federal government has approx
ed of this scheme, and appropriated
funds for government building and
an exhibit. Its building will have
total floor era of $4,000 feet. The
action of the federal government in
thus recognizing the movement has
given it an international bearing, and
nearly all of the Central and South
American countries and West India
stands will be represented, besides
many countries of Europe, Italy and
Australia having already secured
their floor space. The south is fully
alive to the benefits to be derived
therefrOm and of course the southern
feature will be the great controlling
figure.
One of the features which will un-
doubtedly attract great attention will
be that which will measure the pro-
gress OF the negroes in the south.
Says the Weekly: "Not since their
emancipation have the colored citi-
zens of America had an opportunity
to show what they have accomplished.
A special building to be designed by a
colored architect, to be erected by
colored workingmen, and to be filled
with specimens Of the handiwork of
the members of their race in all lines
of life, and be one of the prominent
features of the exposition. The lead
ing men of the race throughout the
south have this in their direct
charge and the enthusiasm with
which they have entered upon their
work and the results already attain
ed, show that in completeness this
will exceed even the most sanguine
expectations of it's projectors"
That such an exposition will be a