Evening star., 1899-02-04
BUFFALO'S EXPOSITION
The Projected an-Amarican Exhibit on the
Niagara Frontier.
Financial Security Already Pledged
1 Government Building
Wanted.

The bill providing for a government ex-
h.bit at the Pau-Amertcan exposition, TO be
held in 1901 on the Niagara frontier of the
state of New York. is still in the hands of
the subcommittee of the committee of ways
and means, but Il report will be made early
next week and action by the full commit
tee is scheduled for Wednesday. The enter
prise has the solid support cf the New York
delegation in both houses without distinc-
ton of party, which is not surprising in
view OF the fact that the New York leSis-
lature Of 1898 by unanimous vote memorial
lied Congress Ito recognize in an appropri-
ate official manner the said Pan-American
exposition and to extend to it such sub
stantial aid as may be fitting and proper,
TO which memorial Congress promptly re-
spoGded by the passage of a joint resotu-
zion in which it was stated that the pro-
posed exposition, being confined in its scope
to the western hemisphere, would unques-
tiOuably BE- of vast benefit to the CONNER
ciaI interests of the countries of North,
South and Central America, and
merits the encouragement and approval of
Congress ana of the people of the United
States" This was approved July \ ISIS. py
President Mckinley. who has at every stage
shown the Warmest interest in and friend
shin for the enterprise.
After this action of Congress and the
L
ticns of the friends of the Pan-Amarican
exposition should appear in Washington to
ask Congress to provide for the usual gov
eTnment exhibit which has been made at
all large expositions. The terms OF the
joint resolution of July last may not un-
fairly be locked upon as substantially an
invitation to the frie nds of the Pan-Amert-
can to request such an exhibit. Inc
friends and promoters of the enterprise,
though mainly from New York, are by no
means altogether from that state. 1t has
warm friends all over the country. They
are not asking Congress for the gratuity
which has been voted to some expositions.
They ask only that the government take
part as an exhibitor.
The people of Buffalo and other towns
and cities Oh and near the Niagara from
tier have done wonderful work i'll financing
the exposition, having, in a fortnight, an
rolled over 5000 subscribers for an aggre
gate of nearly a million ard half of stock.
The popular subscription is still being
actively pushed, but the danger point has
long been passed. and the financial future
of the exposition is entirely secure and be-
yond the need of gratuities from any
quarter.
Gen. WbeeIer's Endorsement.
Gen. Joseph Wheeler sat in the lobby Of
the Arlington chatting in an animated man
ner last night with Col. John B. Weber of
Buffalo, a former member of the House.
As Col. Weber is one of the busy Buffa-
lonians now in Washington in the interests
of the pan-American exposition to be held
in 1901. it was but natural that the CONVEX
sation should turn on that subject
I'm in favor of the project, colonel"
said Gen. Wheeler; heartily in favor of it,
and 1 always have been in favor of such
eXpOstions. When of national scope they
work great benefit to the country. They
reach the people of the world. The time
for holding the pan-American exposition is
particularly auspicioGs, for the war has ad-
vertised us to the world. 1t has not made
us any stronger. but it has shown how
strong We are and how strong we were.
Therefore the year 1901 would he a good
time to ask the people of the Americas TO
come and see us and our wares. We have
things to sell and the way to sell them is
to ask people to come TO US. Let them look
over our great country, and by their visit
we will enlarge our foreign trade.
What We Produce
cat the present time" continued the gen
eraI. I'VE produce over 20 per cent Of the
steel used in the world and grow 50 per
cent of the con; a greater percentage of
the wheat and about 30 per cent of the
cotton. We must dispose of the surplus.
and that can best be done by extending
our trade with other countries There has
been a lack of appreciation Of the value
of extended trade relations between our
country and the republics of South and
Genital AmeTica-not differences but what
may he termed neglect. We have not work
I'd for the friendship of those people, but
the project so enthusiastically launched by
the people of New York is a splendid op-
portunity TO atone. Ths idea of a pan
American exposition is in Itself a guaran-
tee of greatness. 1t is so far reaching
that nothing but good can come out of it.
Its very title proves, even to the unbe-
lever, that it is generous in scope; a ma
q mr. int ION md f1at
affair.
I'VE can't have too many exposftfons in
the country, provided, of course, that
they arr handled and condcted on broad
lines. Each one adds to the nation $
wealth and aids her progress. Vast bene-
htS followed the centennial exposition at
Philadelphia, greater results came from
the worlds Columbian exposition at Chi
cago and New Orleans, Atlanta, Nashville
and Omaha all added to the arts and the
sciences and acted as incentives in maTu-
facture.
Those fairs were called the Atlanta ex-
POSITION the Nashville exposition and
the Omaha, exposition but in reality they
We're national expositions and as the nation
appeared as an exhibitor at those cities she
simply cannot afford to slight the PAN
American exposition At the present time
the Pan-American exposition looms UP as
the prospective great exhibition in the his
tory of America, with the sole exception of
the Worlds Columbia exposition at Chi
cago. II our government officially invite
Canada and the colonies and the republics
Of Central and South America to go to Buff
falo and make exhibits she cannot refuse to
go there and make display herself"
Only Want Government Exhibit.
And that is all we ask" said Colonel
Weber, I'VE don't ask the government to
give US one penny. We are not here to ask
for an appropriation, but simply to say 10
the nation: A Pan-American exposition
will be held in. or near Buffalo in the year
1901 The republics of Central and South
America Canada and the outlying colonies
will make displays at that fair Cannot you
as the greatest republic on the western
hemisphere make an exhibit worthy of your
rank?''
Can't afford to remain away" said Cen
eral Wheeler. The members of Congress
VIII appreciate that fact. You came here
with an argument that is unanswera b. e,
and the astounding manner in which the
subscriptions have flowed in Is a very i'm
pressive fact. When two hundred men get
together at dinner and in three hours
subscribe nearly a half million dollars II
means that they are in earnest; when the
public joins in and increases that half mil
lion TO full million in five days and adds
another quarter million in three more days
II means that they will not be denied"