Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-09
nnr lrr Parted cnMpANr.

resentation and abuse. 1t was first
charged that failing to rule the enter.
prise | was bent on its ruin, when as a
matter of fact | had declined success
slvely every honor or position rendered
including that of president, director gen
eral and member of the executive COM
mittec. Then 1t was asserted that | hau
taken offense at the selection of Con
Gallagher as general superintendent OF
grounds and buildings and failing TO un-
horse him | had cut the lines and turned
my back upon the management with
which | had beer associated in an ad-
visory capacity. This also is a fiction
scarcely worth contradicting.
The motives hat impelled my action
were founded on the consideration con-
viction that the men who undertake an
enterprise dependent upon public con-
fidence and public favor must keep
faith with the public. When the pro
ject of a second exposition was first
preached l was 10th to give it coun-
tenance although it seemed a pity TO
dismantle the white palaces constructed
for the Transmississippi Exposition and
to abandon the enchanting lagoon and
the picturesque bluff park. Later on,
when l sounded President Mckinley
and members of his cabinet and found
greater encouragement than could be
anticipated l became convinced that an
exposition, thoroughly tropical in its
main features, and devoted to the illus
tration of the civilization of the new
possessions in the West India islands,
the Sandwich islands and the Philip
pines would attract popular attention in
every section of the country and afford
a basis for a more successful expo
sition, if such n thing could be, than
that of 1898.
Imbued with that conviction | fell in
with the movement for a colonial expo
sition and gave its promoters not only
active support but placed at their dis
posal whatever information l possessed
by reason of two years service in organ
izing and managing the old exposition.
At every stage up to the month of
February repeated assurances were
given by the prime mover that the plan
outlined by me for a gorgeously tropical
show would be carried out in every i'm
portant particular. This plan contem-
plated a. the repair and establishment
of the main buildings with architectural
changes to carry out the ideal; (2) the
Encouragement of the landscape on trop-
ical lines with an venue of Cuban or
Sandwich island palm trees and other
tropical plants; () the purchase Of ma
tive products of field, orchard and fac
tory of Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippines, including household ar
ticles, implements of war, vehicles, ETC.;
az the purchase of live domestic ami
mails of those countries and at least 800
cages of tropical birds to be distributed
inside the buildings and throughout the
grounds. Lastly, the importation of rep.
resentative natives of the various races
inhabiting the new possessions in suf-
showing.
This program was endorsed by the
Board of Directors and appeared to
meet the approval of the executive COM
mittee. Its practicability was assured
beyond a doubt providing the necessary
funds were forthcoming. The failure of
congress to grant recognition to the ex-
position made the carrying out Of this
program imperative because even with
the most cordial good will Of the heads
Of departments at Washington compare
lively little could be added to the volume
of exhibits without which no exposition
can successfully bid for popular favor.
In view of the military occupation of
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines
and the unsettled condition, even of
Hawaii, it became essential to secure
the cooperation of the government as
far as the law would permit. Inas-
much as nobody connected with the new
exposition was in position to solicit this
cooperation l was induced to make a
trip to Washington soon after congress
adjourned, accompanied by DIR. Miller,
who was enabled through my interces.
sion to secure promises of support with.
cut which there would have been no pos,
sible chance to exhibit anything colonial
On my return from Washington il
began to dawn upon me that the eXecu'
tive committee had secretly committed
itself to an entirely different plan. While
~ostensibly organizing for IL Greater
America exhibit, with the colonial fea'
ture as the chief attraction, they con
ceived the idea of a cheap John expo
sition with n cayenne pepper Midway
as the drawing card. The turning point
was reached at n meeting of the execu
tive committee with the advisory board
In submitting a detailed estimate of The
outlay for carrying out the original plan
covering original cost of buildings anG
their repair and adornment, cost of ma
terials to be imported, advertising ant
maintenance up to July 1-aggregatinl
S250,00O-I met with Il cold rebuff tina
convinced me that there was no inten
ton on the part of the dominant power
to do anything more than work up con
cessions for the Midway which were t.
serve as substitutes for the mucl
yaunted exhibits from the new posses
sions. The need of a director genera
had been repeatedly pointed out, bu