Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-11
PEoRe1y,zAT,oS OR FAILURE.


y great many people in this city are
directly concerned financially and other
wise I'm tho success or failure of the
Greater America Exposition. So Is The
Bee. Everything that promotes the
growth and prosperity of Omaha tends
to benefit its newspapers as well as all
other established institutions. But the
progress and welfare of Omaha cannot
be promoted by any enterprise that de-
pends upon deception. false pretense and
moral dcpravity for its success.
When the Greater America Exposition
was projected its purpose as heralded
| abroad and at home was to exhibit to
the American people the natural prod
ucts and resources of the new posses
sions. In view of the universal popular
interest in the newly-annexed territory
and its people the success of the project
was assured from every point Of view,
providing the projectors kept faith with
the people who contributed to its
treasury, either in stock subscrip-
tions, stock donations or gate money.
1t was apparent from the outset
that the only way to secure exhibits
from Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and the
Philippines was either by cooperation
OF the government or by purchase. The
failure of congress to give recognition
the procuring of exhibits by private en-
terprise. Acting upon this conviction
the Board of Directors ordered the cx
ecutive committee to eXpend not less
than 100000 for colonial exhibits and
to utilize the buildings for max
ing them representative of the in
sular possessions. But the execu-
tive committee overruled the board
and up to this time not one dol
lar has been paid out for any colonial
article for exhibition in the main build
ings of the exposition.
And this accounts for the heavy frost
in the middle of July. Whatever pre-.
tense the managers may advance for
refusing to raise the necessary 100000
there is not scintilla Of doubt that that
amount could have been raised had the
executive committee seen fit to follow
out Instructions and conduct the enter
prise with an honest intent Instead of
this the dominant trio in the committee
organized what railroaders would call
a Credit Mobilier construction ring and
went about to scuttle the main show for
the profit of the side shows in which they
are chief owners. Starting out upon
the theory that an exhibition of colonial
t,rnltInts ronr1o in, bn in
position buildings around the lagoon
would cut into the profits of the Midway
they organized IA show upon Midway
lines with little or nothing under the
main tent. With rank hypocrisy their
bombastic chief spokesman at the open
ing charged their failure to redeem the
promises of the showbills and advertise
ments to the red tape of the government
when he must have known that the gov
ernment had furnished free transporta-
ton at the solicitation of the editor Of
The Bee for purchasing agent to go to
the Philippines, whom the Midway ring
in the executive committee declined to
send because they did not want to pay
a dollar for any Philippine exhibit out
side of the Midway.
In nutshell the present exposition has
fallen fiat because it was scuttled for
private gain by it's chief managers. The
only way out of the quagmre is by re-
organization. New men must be placed
at the helm, with competent general
manager or director general to supervise
the exposition grounds and buildings
The exhibits now on the grounds must
be reclassified and installed in their
proper place under direction of expert
exhibits men. Exhibits should be pro-
cured to fill the vacant buildings and
vacant spaces in buildings partially
filed, and these exhibits should be cred
liable and attractive. The promised CO.
lonlal exhibits must either be procured
or all pretense of colonial exhibit out
side of the Midway dropped from the
showbills. People engaged in the show
business must keep faith and give 50
cents worth of pleasure for every half
dollar collected at the gates.
A travelling show that remains in
town only one day may make money for
q season by fakes, but an exhibition
that is subject to the searchlight of pub
liclty for four months cannot survive
unless it redeems every promise it
makes.
LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.
Iia will travail aayan laoouoc ubila