The Natchitoches enterprise., 1898-12-08
LOUISIANA PURCHASE.
REPORT OF THE COMMIT
TEE OF TEN SENT TO THE
COMMITTEE OF
FIFTY.
Favors a Worlds FAIR, with the
Aid and Approval of All states
in the PurchaSc-Urges the
Calling of u Convention for
Final DecisIOn.
GlObe-DeIilOcYat.

lana purchase WAS yesterday forwarded
to the members of the committee OF nifty
for their approval or rejection. The
latter body viii! meet next Monday night
1T the rooms OF the Missouri Historical
Society to consider the recommends
tons of the sub committee and TO take
final action upon them. The report In
full is ~ follows:
Your committee beg leave to report !:
That they have meeting every
week since they were appointed, aud at
such meetings had conferences with
persons representing the different in
terestS of the city, and have In other
wavz. and especially through the medi
UNI OF the press, sought t. gain as thor
Ough i knowledge AS possible of the de-
aires OF our people concerning tn pro
posed cOmmemuration Of the centennial
anniversary Of the Louisiana purchase.
| There IL ) general accord of opinion
that the occasion shonid bot be ps1tnit-
| ted TO pass without some mark Of reI0g-
milton BETTING its great historic interest
and importance.
| The Declaration OF Independence.
which determined the character of our
institutions, must always remain tue
great political event Of our history; but
|
the Louisiana territory, for by that the
empire OF the United State. was deter
mined. and the great temperate belt of
| North America was dedicated to insti-
Iutions OF freedom.
Inc CITY of ST. Louis can not afford to
be indifferent to the centennial anIver-
sa-y of so great an event, the greatest
with which its history is intimately as
ISOLATED.
Various modes of CONNIE IN Grafton
have been proposed, among them "a sta
tue of Thomas Jefferson, or great his
tOrIcaI museum to bear his name, as a
permanent memorial OF the great states
man who rendered such signal service
alike in making this country free and IN
making ii great; hut It is objected. and
your committee believes properly. that
If nothing more is done the celebration
will be essentially local In its character,
while nothing less than y general cele-
bratiOn in which all the states that have
been created from the Louisiana terri
tory should take active part, will be adj
equaie.
In such q general celebration the gen
eral government could be relied upon
for participation and aid and foreign
uation<. and especially France, should
be Invited to take part.
For the purposes of 4 general COM
memOratIon, our committee Ia of OpIn-
ion that only some form OF exposition
will serve ut which the development
and progress OF the arts Of cIviIizen life
IN the territory during the last 100 years
shall be appropriately displayed.
Many objections have been made to
an exposition, but no substitute. regard
ed as sufficient even bv the ObiectOrs,
has been yet proposed.
Your cOmmirte is of opinion that the
objections TO an exposition are not we'll
founded. The experience of the cities
which have under.Ner1s<, exposiIiUns
5ipce the var Ut the Worlds Fair. aud
that OF Omaha, proves Nhls9t
be undertaking IL a perfectly feasible
INC, and also that the interest IN them
las not been exhausted. Indeed, so
Ong as the world shall last the story OF
Is progress will always be an interest
ny one
We have to deal with territory that
OO years ago was, throughout almost
IS entire extent, a wilderness and deS-
ri. The white settlements within its
orders werc not of our nationality. The
eoDle spoke not our language, nor did
hey profess our laws. In no spirit Of
casting may we say that now no Dor
ION of the United States Is more thor
ughly American than the Louisiana I
srrltOrV. In public spirit and In pri- :
ate enterprise 1t stands with the first.
he achievements of this people during
he 100 years thar have passed sine. the i
merIcan flag was planted here may O
ell challenge she attention Of the ..
ord, and an exposition of them must :
rove to be an object lesson Of univer-
VI interest. |.
We believe. too, that St. LOUIS Is the g.
ace for such an exposition. and that :,
ice determined uDOn our people would "
axe !: worthy Of themselves and OF the
eat occasion.
But the exposition should be IN no
nse local one. 1t should be not by
e city Of ST. Louis, nor even by the B
ate OF Missouri, but by the entire Lou. g,
ANA territory. That it may De 80. -
thing should be forestaIled. All those "
no are to take part in it should have Il
vote in determining where 1t shall re IA
Id, and what shall be its character .,
les. VI
10 this end we recommend that there OC
called convention OF representatives L.
)m all the States In the Louisiana pur- u
ase, to meet IN ST. Louis at an early
y TO determine the time. place and
amer OF COMMUNICATING the acquis-
On Of this territory by the United
ates, and we submit herewith a reso-
hon 10 that effect for the cOnsidera-
n Of the committee Of fifty.
rhe resolution referred to In the re-
ri follows:
Resolved, that there should be held
of delegates from the sew
j States aud territories IN the Louis
1 purchase In the city of st. Louis, 4
'., not later than the 10Th daV of Jan =
y. A. D., 1899, for the purpose Of :
erInining the time. place and manner b
1ttIngly ComMemoratIng the centen- P
! anniversary Of the acquisition by 4,
United States of the Louisiana ter
'rY, such convention to be made up lC
delegates appointed by the governors 81
he several States and territories on A
basis Of one for each Congressional
,rict and two at large.
Resolved, that Hon. l.. V. Stephens, h
'ernor Of Missouri, be requested 10
ke the appointment Of delegates from
State Of Missouri, and 10 take all
essary steps to invite and secure the
operation Of our sister States ia this de
VI
CT