The record-union., 1897-02-25
THE TRANS-NISSISSIPP EXPOSI-
TION.

A party Of distinguished citizens OF
Omaha will reach Sacramento this week
for the ostensible purpose of causing
California to be represented in an expo
sition Of the resources of the territory
lying west of the Mississippi, but for the
real purpose of securing pecuniary as
sistance from the treasury of California
to collect the features of a great show,
all or nearly all of the direct and indi-
rect benefits of which will inure to the
city of Omaha. We desire to address a
few very plain and candid words to the
distinguished visitors and to the people
OF California
Expositions are merely a means Of ad-
vertising. They illustrate but one side
of the facts which would induce people
to sever their lifetime relations and
cast their lot with the people of new
country. They present simply the fact
that certain objects of culture may be
grown in certain countries, but this is
a very small consideration. If the peo-
pie Of Australia should send to the
Trans Mississippi Exposition pears and
plums and prunes, and mining ore, it
would illustrate the simple fact that
these things might be grown and found
in Australia; but it would not answer
one Of a thousand far more important
questions relating to the commercial
value of the things grown, the possibil
ity Of profit, the price of land and the
hazards of cultivation or of mining; in
short, that vast range of questions
which each Individual must answer per-
sonally before the problem of his move
ment to that country is solved.
In times past a great public purpose
prompted the holding of expositions !:
that time has gone by. The incidental
benefit to the locality where the exhi-
bition was held has absorbed the atten-
tion and put many cities into rivalry
with each other for the show business.
Within a short period there are to be
great international expositions at Nash
Vile at Hamburg, Germany, in Guate-
mala, at Baltimore. Omaha, Buffalo, st.
Louis and Paris. France.
Finding a sectionahsm relating to the
territory known as "Transmississippi. "
the thrifty people of Omaha conceived
the idea of projecting a show, to the
features of which it asks California TO
contribute. Attractions make gate
money. Now there is no longer any
common sense in accepting the view
that the features of the show shall ~
for the privilege. AS well might a cir
Gus manager ask all his talent to pay for
the privilege of exhibiting their aero
batic or equestrian skill and let him
have all the gate money. An exposition
is simply a show and IL is run for the
purposes of obtaining gate money, pay
ing the cost Of the show and a profit to
the projectors and for the benefit of the
city or town where the show is given
The new and better conception Of
the Sc things would be to have the States
and Territories interested in a particu-
lar exposition united for the profit or
loss the exhibition might bring forth
Twenty years ago and when ,hese
matters were less understood than now.
the request of Omaha that California
take out Of its treasury enough money
to make an attractive feature for a
show to be given in that city would
have been regarded as reasonable, if
not overmodest- But to-day it is abso-
lutely absurd for the people OF Omaha
to canvass the Legislatures of the
States west OF the Mississippi River for
contributions to a show to be held in
that town.
There is a broad significance in the
very wording OF the dispatch which
brings us the news of the coming of
these people: - party Of prominent
citizens of Omaha is to visit Sacra-
mento" This party comprises about
all the executive force of the institu-
tion as it is headed by President Wat
ties and Manager Hitchcock, both OF
Omaha and about all there is of the
management up to the present time. No
other part of the vast territory in whose
interest this exposition is supposed to