The Van Buren press., 1900-06-02
THE WORLDS FAIR BILL.
Reported In the House From the speci"
Committee by Chairman
Tawney.

Washington, May 29.-Chairman
Tawney, from the committee on the
St. Louis exposition commemorating
the Louisiana purchase, yesterday filed
a report, without recommendation but
giving an extended summary of de-
tails and purposes of the bill, with ta-
bles ON the extent of government par
ticipation in expositions up to date.
The substitute bill reported differs
only in few of its provisions from the
act to provide for celebrating the four
hundredth anniversary of the discov-
cry of America by the exposition at
Chicago. The report explains that
the cumbersome national commission
of ia members, as first proposed, has
even reduced tn nine, TO be appointed
by the president, and with no alter
nate commissioners, The great size OF
the Chicago commission and alter
mates, the report states, tended rather
to interfere with than to promote
that enterprise. To avoid clash be-
tween local and government managers,
a board of arbitration adjusts all diff
ferences. The matter of awards and
of lady commissioners is~tt largely
to the local management.
The original bill virtually pledged
this congress to appropriate hereafter
$4,000, 900 upon consideration that SlO,-
100000 shall be raised by the local au-
thorities, state and city. The report
states that the substitute so changes
the appropriation that instead of com
mitting this congress to the appropria-
ton of the specific sum of 100000 or
any other specific sum, it fixes that
amount as the maximum that may be
appropriated hereafter, leaving it en-
tirely within the discretion of con-
gress to say what amount shall be ap-
propriated hereafter,
BY this change the opposition to the
use of the pledge of congress to in
tuence the local elections on the ques-
ton of authorizing bonds for the COM
mission is removed,
Provision also is made that there
hall be repaid into the treasury OF
the United States the same proper
tionate amount of the aid given by
the United States as shall be repaid
to either the corporation or the city
of st. Louis"
The appended table of federal aid
given expostions shows that a total
of $li,0l0,355 for II institutions, the
chief being Chicago, 1881 ,S3j; Phila-
delphia centennial, $l,jOO,00O, and
New Orleans, Sl,3j0,O00.
Messrs Corlss, of Michigan, and
Steele, of Indiana, and Mr., Sherman,
of New York, also filed their views,
as follows;
1--WE respectfully submit that con-
gress should not be asked to pass upon
the question Of whether or not the
people of the state of Missouri or the
city of ST. Louis shall or shall not hold
an exposition in 1908, pending action
by the voters, preferring to permit
them to determine this question for
themselves; and until they have cx-
pressed a desire 10 enter into contract
therefor the undersigned members Of
the committee without wishing or
intending in any way directly, or In
directly to pass upon the question ms
TO whether or not the United states
shall aid in holding q centennial eN.
position at ST. Louis in 1908 are in IA
vor Of deferring further consideration
of the measure during the present ses'
sion Of congress-"
Other members Of the committee
possibly will file individual views.
Representative JOY, OF st. Louis, in
fling his views, strongly commends
the project, aud points out that the
favorable attitude of the people Of
the locality has been shown by their
contribution Of over four million dol
lars up to date,
Another report, by Representatives
Bartlett, of Georgia, and Otey Of Nir'
ginia, while not approving past pre-.
cedents of government aid to exposi.
lions, says that these preccdents seem
TO establish u policy under which the
proposed bill would be satisfactory,
and they urge that the house should
make the final determination,
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