Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-06-15
APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC.
Money is Needed to Defray the Ex-
penses Of the New Mexico Exhibit
at the Tennessee Exposition.

To the Members of the Tennessee Centennial
Exposition Commission and other Citizens
of the different Counties of the Territory
interested in its progress
have just returned from visit to the
Centennial exposition at Nashville. The
exposition is pronounced generally by all
who have visited it, an unqualified sue
cess. Those who are competentto judge
say that it excels in every way any similar
state exposition held in the country
The exhibits are quite full and complete,
and the attendance is very gratifying to
the management.
1t is of the utmost Importance that the
products and resources of New Mexico
should be fully represented. The expo
sition is being largely visited from all
over the central as well as the southern
states, and it is especially from this sec
tion of theEcountry that New Mexico
hopes to secure immigration.
Our commissioner, Mr.. j. j. Leeson,
has splendid exhibit of the minerals of
New Mexico, representing every mining
camp and every developed mine in the
territory, but this is all he has. He
should be supplied with specimens of all
other products of New Mexico, wheat,
oats, alfalfa, beets, other vegetables and
fruits, which should be sent to him from
the different counties as soon as prac-
ticable. He is enthusiastic in his work,
and the mineral exhibit which he has, has
received general conmendationin great
many leading newspapers published at
different places in the states above re-
ferred to. Many of these newspapers
have large circulations and have pub
lished centennial editions, giving large
amount of space to the exhibit which we
have there.
Mr.. Leeson, however, is without means
to further defray his expenses there. All
the money he has had was his portion OF
the balance left over from the Worlds
fair appropriation, amounting to about
$4OO to $500. The last legislature made
an appropriation of $1,000 for this pur-
pose, which is not yet available and may
not be for several months to come. ls,
therefore, necessary for the members OF
the commission and other citizens inter
ested in the matter to take steps to raise
enough money to defray Mr.. Leeson's ex'
penses while at Nashville and procure
and send other exhibits to him. If he is
not provided with means to pay his e1'
penses, it will be necessary, he writes me
to close up the Tennessee exhibit and
come away. This would undoubtedly be
a misfortune and would not speak very
well for the territory. 1t would seem an
easy matter for the citizens in the differ
ent counties in the territory to raise, by
subscription or otherwise, sufficient
amount of money to complete a credit
able exhibit from the territory and pay
Mr.. Lessons expenses until the close OF
the exposition about the lst of Novem-
Der. The appropriation might be looked
to for repayment.
The Atchison, Topeka 4 Santa Fe rail
road has agreed ana will transport e1'
hibits free Of charges to Mindn, Ill.,. where
the Santa Fe system connects with the
Illinois Central and from there to Nash
vile, exhibits will be transported at hall
rates.
Since my return I have read circular
letter sent to the members of the Tennes.
see centennial exposition by Hon. Lorion
Miller, acting governor. He calls atten'
tion to the fact that the appropriation by
the territory is not available He also
calls attention to tae fact that section
of chapter LXlV, laws of 1897, authorizes
and empowers the boards of county com
missioners to make appropriations for
this purpose, and suggests that very
small appropriation from each county
will add materially to making the New
Mexico exhibit success and in advertis
ing their several localities.
will add that Mr.. Lesson is very
economical and efficient representative o.
the territory.
would respectfully ask the differen
papers of the territory to publish thl'
statement. Respectfully,
W. B. CHILDERs.