The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-15
Commercial Club Takes the
Preliminary Steps.
Kansas Semi-Centennial to Be
FittingIy Celebrated.
ALL THE GREAT STATE
1t VIII Be Made a Grand
Affair.
Counties Be Invited to Send
Representatives.

The initiatory steps towards a great
exposition in celebration of the semi
centennial of Kansas in 1904 were taken
up by the Topeka Commercial club at
its September session Thursday even
ing A committee Will be appOined by
President Brigham to arrange for a
meeting of citizens from over the state
to discuss the project, probably at the
time of the reception to the Twentieth
Kansas. This viii be the first move
Congressman Curtis had made ar
Tangements to be at the September
meeting but when the time was chang
ed from Wednesday evening to Thurs
day, it interfered with his plans, as he
had to be out OF the city. However, he
wrote the club a letter in which he said
/ that he stood ready to aid the project
in any way possible.
Another letter was also read by Sec
retary Anderson from F. D. COburn,
secretary of the state board of agri-
culture, which was very much to the
point. Mr.. Coburn said:
The proposition that Kansas shall in
some fitting way celebrate in 1904 the
semi-centennial anniversary of her or
ganzatlOn as territory is excellent.
! The suggestion that this shall be
/ through the medium of a cOmprehen-
Siye and magnificent Kansas expOsi-
ton in, say her capital city, seems ad-
mira BILE Such an enterprise rightly
carried out could be made the means,
better than any other vet devised, for
bringing the state, her people and pos
sibilities, the advancement and adVan-
Iages. to the favorable attention OF
mulutudes whose condition would be
bettered by knowing ours better
NO other state is in some ways so
misunderstood as Kansas; no other has
in some ways been so misadvertised.
BY some such effort as the one proposed
q thousand erroneous Impressions
about our state and people. the growth
rH "a he T1-0rT
the minds of thousands in a single
day
mo organization anywhere is better
qualified or equipped to promote such
a movement or formulate AID ser in
motion its initial machinery than the
Commercial club of Topeka. If under
taken there are certain fundamental
ideas which. for its Well-being, must be
firmly fixed in the public mind from the
outset. Among these are
.'F'irst-That il is not and shall not
be in any sense, more than incidentally,
a Topeka or local affair. but wherever
situated shall be for the benefit i'm
partially Of Kansas as whole.
-Second-That is will involve a tre-
mendous amount of labor, covering
period OF years; too much to be sad
died upon a few patriots, good natured
volunteers, who, as in so many public
undertakings, carry the burdens while
others criticise-
Third, being for the state the state
should stand for the principal expense;
it should be borne eQuitably by the
MANY rather than ineQuitably by a few.
It could and should be 50 distributed
as to be scarcely appreciable by any
There will be two regular sessions of
the legislature before the time fOrOpen-
ing such an exposition, affOrding ample
opportunity for fOrcefully placing the
matter before them in its proper light,
and the same as to congress. for Sc
curing cooperation and participation
by the national government
Fourth. there must be absolutely
no where ground for suspicion Of party
politics or partisan advantage in its
promotion or management. and only
those broad enough to act in this spirit
should have place in its board of con-
troll Being a business affair it should
be managed by business men.
Every COUNT. community, industry
and worthy interest should respect and
be urged to make the best possible
presentation of its magnitude, i'm
pOrtance and advantages, and derive
all possible benefits therefrOrn.''
Immediately following the reading of
Secretary Coburn,,s communication,
Captain Phillips. who is the originator
OF the semi-centennial idea, said:
I move that a committee of five be
appointed by the chair to devise some
plan to interest the citizens of the
state in the proper celebra ton of the
semi this committee to have
power to call a meeting of representa-
tive men and women at Topeka during
the month of October or NOVern Der. ad-
vising the president of the club of the
time, in order that the club may be
called together and meet with them.
"A meeting OF this kind ought to be
called this IaIt IN order 10 get the pro-
jeCt started throughout the state.
think the proper persons to be invited
to such a meeting would be the county
commissioners of each county. In that
way we would interest the men who
control the money of the counties. and
they may be called on for aDDroprfa-
tiOns for their various counties when
-
are others who ought also to De invited
to the conference. I think the meeting
ought to be held at the time of the re
ceptiOn to the Twentieth Kansas. be
cause it viii be easier to get a repre-
sentative body together at that time
CAPTAIN Phillips motion carried with
out further debate, and President Brig
ham Will appoint the committee as soon
as he can make a careful selection.