The courier., 1897-02-20
Wooster's Reply.

the Journal because il expresses our
sentimcnts:
House of Representatives. Lincoln.
Neb. Feb. 1S. 1Ss7.-To the Editor OF
The State Journal: Before coming to
Lincoln l received the following letter
from Mr.. Hitchcock. and II is 10 be
presumed a like letter was sent to ev-
cry member-e.ect Of the legislature:
OMAHA. Neb., Dec 2s. 1ssS-Hon. Chas.
Wooster, Silver Creek. Neb: Dear Sir:
Deg to advise you that have been elected
one Of the seven members of the executive
committee Of the trans-Mississippi expo
sition, to be held at Omaha from June to
November, 1888.
As manager Of the department Of pro-
motion. take up the work of procuring
from each Of the trans Mississippi states
euch cooperation in the great enterprise
as may be possible.
At an early day I desire to bring be-
fore the Nebraska legislature the subject
of an appropriation to provide for a
CREDITABI.E EXHIBIT BY THIS
STATE, wish. however. to obtain In ad-
vance the views of the individual men,
bers Of the legislature. and will esteem
1t a personal favor IL you will advise me
whether public opinion in your district Will
favor active and vigorous participation in
the exposition, and an adequatesappropria-
tion TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXHIBITS
IN THIS STATE.
Any advice you may offer will he gladly
received. Yours truly.
c. NJ HITCHCOCK.
Mang'r Of Dept. Of Promotion.
The capitals in this letter are mine
to give emphasis to the fact that MT.
Hitchcock came to members OF the leg
islature asking for an appropriation Tor
q state exhibit. But soon after our ar
rival in Lincoln the exposition bill pre-
pared by him, or under his directions.
at about the same time his letter WAS
written, was placed upon our desks and
said not one word about state exhibit.
The purpose Of the Appropriation. as II
then appeared. and as it stands now In
the bill, was to plan. carry on. de.
velop and complete the said exposition.
From this 1t will be seen that Mr..
Hitchcock came before the Legislature
and the people of the state in the roe
of a deceiver. To use vulgar phrase.
members Of the legislature are now
"'onto' him. burt perhaps a majority OF
the people of the state are not. TIE
people, however are beginning to find
out the trick that has been played on
them and members are continually g5f-
ting letters from all over the state urg-
ing them not to vote the exposition
people one cent. They are asking that
II anything at all is voted il shall be
for a purely state exhibit. under state
control, and not even that until after
the state institutions are provided for.
But that does not suit Mr.. Hitchcock
and his friends. They want these nun
dreds Of thousands so they can tide
along and never pay boasted stock sub
scriptions at all. They never intended
to pay up and do not now intend to pay
up. They want the overpurdened tax
PAYERS of the state to carry the losd
while they reap the benefits. The plain
truth of the matter is that this exposi-
ton business Is a bunko game of the
first magnitude.
Today I received a long letter from
Mr.. Hitchcock in which ne says: Sev-
eral have thought that a separate state
commission should control the expend;t-
ure Of the money appropriated by the
state. Such an amendment would de-
form the bill and cripple the enter
prise
Yes. as above stated. 1t would cause
the Omaha people to cough up or
throw up the sponge. Is it to be sup
posed the people of Nebraska are not
as competent to spend their money as
are the bankers. real estate men. loan
agents etc. of the city of Omaha?
wish here to call the attention Of the
people of the state to the fact that in
order to provide for the wards OF the
state the legislature will be obliged to
make appropriation which, in the
aggregate, will reach. IL not exceed. the
limit fixed by the constitution. Mem
bers held up their right hand and swore
before God to support the constitution.
Do the people Of the state Of Nebraska
now wish their chosen representatives
to violate their solemn oaths and heap
additional burdens upon them in order
to provide for a big Omaha show in the
- I nrd 1QQQo