Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-16
FAVORS THE BIG EXPOSITION
People of Missouri Will Do Their Share
Toward Making it Success.
LEGISLATURE CAN BE DEPENDED ON
Hon. John Doniphun Meets with the
Local Directory and Discusses
the outlook for the Big
"a Show in 1S0S.

Hon. John Donphan OF st. Joseph, vice
president of the Transmissssippi exposition
from Missouri, was present at yesterday
afternoons meeting OF the Transmissssippi
exposition directory. Among other things, he
said: politics has been absorbing 80 much
OF our attention down in Missouri recently
that the Transnississppi exposition has
hardly been fairly presented to our people.
l think there is no doubt but that when the
matter gets squarely before the people of our
state 1t will meet with their hearty APP
proval. Our legislature convenes the first
Wednesday in January next, and the friends
of the exposition will see that men favorable
to the enterprise are chosen as state legisla-
tors. III l weren't so old I'd run for the
legislature myself. This session of the leg
islature will elect a United States senator.
Should the democrats be in the majority, 1t
is probable that either Gibson or Stevens
will be elected. The former is an enthusias-
tic supporter of the exposition and l think
the latter is not opposed to aiding It,. Should
the republicans have control of the legisa-
ture, Mr.. Warner of Kansas City will un-
doubtedly be elected United States senator
and l believe he is tayorape TO the expos-
ton"
Mr.. Doniphan was asked by President
Wattles what he thought of the scheme OF
four or FIVE states combining their exhibits
and making a grand display in building
erected by the joint appropriations of those
states. Missouri's vice president in reply
said: I've never heard the matter sug-
gested before but it is exactly in line with
what was forcby brought to my attention
at the Columbian exposition. Our state ap-
propriated s150,OO0 for a building there and
| presume some one retired on the earnings
At any rate the exhibit of Missouri amounted
to little save on paper and the people OF
our state who had placed their expectations
high were grievously disappointed. l believe
the states would be represented to greater
advantage, that there would be a better class
of buildings and that the visitors from the
states concerned would be better pleased If
such move were made"
1t was explained by President Wattles in
support of his scheme that each state going
into such combination would receive space
proportionate with its appropriation and that
at the close of the exposition 1t would also
receive its proportionate share of the pro-
ceeds derived from the sale of the building.
In reply to a question for information on
the part of Vice President Doniphan, Secre-
tary Wakefield said that nine of the trans
mississippi states had thus far appointed
vice presidents. He also stated that the
legislatures of only two of the states inter-
ested had been in session during the past
winter. He said that as soon as congress
acted favorably on the bill now before it
systematic work would be begun in the other
states with a view to securing their endorse
ment and their appropriations. He stated
that he had just written to the governor of
Louisiana recommending an appropriation by
the legislature Of that state, which is now
in session.
1. w. Carpenter, one of the directors, was
present after an absence of two months in
California He said that he had found SEN
timent throughout that state very favorable
to the exposition. He believed that he was
justified in concluding from what he had
seen and heard while there that California
would be well represented
The meeting adjourned until 1890 o'clock
this afternoon, at which time the re-
port of Edward Rosewater on his recent trip
to Washington in behalf of the exposition
will be received