Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-11-12
THE OMAHA EXPOSITION.
Free Space Granted for Exhibits of
Mineral and Agricultural Prod
ucts from New Mexico.
COUNTIES WILL HAVE TO COMBINE
Ex Governor Prince Busily Engaged in
Making Territorial Display Credit
able and Successful-Letter
on Subject.

At the time of the meeting of the terri
torial commission for the Omaha expo
sition, held at Albuquerque three or four
weeks ago, when Messrs. Prince, Nc
Laughlin, Hopewell and Mulholland were
present, an unexpected obstacle present
ed itself in the wording of one of the cir
culars sent out by the exposition authori-
ties, which seemed to imply that all the
space occupied by exhibits, whether state
or individual, was to be paid for. As no
such charge had ever been made at pre-
vlous exposltions, the commission was
rather stunned at the possibility and
concluded to defer any action until the
fact should be ascertsined, as the very
small amount of the appropriation would
all be exhausted in paying for the space
and leave nothing for the exhibit. A
letter of inquiry was sent to Mr.. Bruce,
who ia manager of the department of ex-
hibits, and in due time, his answer was
received stating that it WAS the regular
rule of the exposition that all space
should be paid for whether for general
exhibits of states or private exhibits by
individuals, at the rete of 81 per square
foot, but that they would make conoes-
sion to the New Mexico commission, and
allow them space in the agricultural, hor-
ticultural and some other departments,
at so cents per foot, but that the mineral
building would be so crowded that no re-
duction could be made there from the
81 rate.
The result of this ruling would have
been that New Mexico could make no ex-
hibit at all, for the total appropriation is
but $1,000 at most, and the space re
quired for the mineral exhibit alone, if 1t
is to be at all creditable, would have to
be at least 20x30 feet, and that would use
nearly half the amount for ground room
in but one department. Believing that
the only way to remedy this difficulty,
was to apply to the highest authority,
Vice President Prince wrote to the presi-
dent of the exposition, Mr.. G. W. Wattles,
stating in plain terms that the territory
was desirous of making an exhibit in
various branches which wonld be not
only oreditable to itself, but also would
form valuable and interesting portion
of the general exposition; that our peo-
pie were willing to 60 to the extent of their
ability to affect this result but that we
had never contemplated for moment
that there would be any charge for space,
as New Mexico had been exhibiting at ex-
positions all over the country for the last
Is years and no such charge had ever
been made before; that it did not seem
right that the public exhibits of states
and territories which represented the gen
eral resources and products of the coun-
try and which really constituted in great
part, the exhibition itself, and which were
necessarily expensive in their prepara-
tion and care, should be subjected to a
further tax of this kind, and he was quite
sure it had net been contem plated when
the exposition WAS originated at the
Transmississippi congress, or various leg
islatures when they made appropriations.
Very probably similar remonstrances
were sent from other quarters about the
same time; at all events the following
letter has been received from President
Wattles, and shows that fairer and more
liberal policy has been determined on:
l.. Bradford Prince, Esq, Vice President
Transmississippi and international Ex-
position, Santa Fe, N. NJ.
My Dear Sir.-I have your esteemed
favor of the 29th ult. 1 have de-