Iron County register., 1900-05-03
TALKING FOR THE FAIR.
The Louisiana Purchase Celebration
Delegation Given a Hear
ing at Washington.
EY-GOV. FRANCIS PRESENTS THE CASE.
He Lays Stress Upon the Necessity
of Action Being Taken at the
Present Session of Congress i'm
Order that the Efforts of st.
Louis May Bear Fruit.

was filled to overflowing with a dis
t:nguished body of men from the west
and southwest who appeared to make
tsrmal presentation of the project for
an international exposition at st. Louis,
in 1903, to commemorate the Louisiana
Purchase and the resulting develop
ment of the Mississippi valley and its
vast tributary sections.
Bills Already Introduced.
Bills already have been introduced,
in the senate by Mr.. Cockrell, and in
the house by Mr.. Lane, giving ma
tional aspect to the enterprise and pro-
vidIng a S5,OO0,OOO appropriation in its
sid. This has attracted the attention
and encouragement of the sections
throughout the middle west, and the
delegation now appears to urge the
magnitude of the project, from a
commercial and national standpoint,
and to give it a status which it is
hoped will secure favorable conSidera-
ton in the present session of con-
eIess.
The Delegation.
The delegation was made up of gov
ernors, ex-governors, mayors of lead
ing cities, former cabinet officers and
men prominent in public and business
lie including Gov. ID. w. Jones of Ar
Kansas; Atty.-Gen. Campbell of Colo
rado; T. P. RiXey, labor commissioner
of Missouri; J. d. Stonecker, repre-
senting Gov. Stanley of Kansas; ex-
Gov. r. B. Hubbard, of Texas; d. u.
Leach, representing Gov. Barnes of
Oklahoma; Judge &C. Humphrey, of
Tort Smith, Ark; n. P. Ramsey, OF
Columbus, o.; ex-Secretary of the In
terror, ID. r. Francis, and numero Is
delegation from st. Louis, including
ex-Mayor C. p. Walbridge, o. L. White
law, ex-Lieut.-Gov. j. NJ. O'Meara,
Nathan Frank and Hon. Seth w.
Cobb.
The hearing was given under the
auspices of the special committee on
the centennial of the Louisina Pur-
chase, consisting of Representatives
Tawney, chairman, and Steele, Sher-
man, Joy, Corliss, Burke, Williams
(Miss). Bartlett and Otey.
Ex-Secretary Francis, of Missouri,
opened the hearing. He said in part:
1--WE appear before you, not as repre-
sertatives of a single city or of a single
state but in behalf of the fifteen states
anu two territories carved out of the
Louisiana Purchase; and in the name OF
the entire transmississippi section OF our
country, to lay before you the plan we
have adopted for contemplating the one
hundredth anniversary of the acquls1
ton of the Louisiana territory; and to
ask therefor the recognition and aid of
the general government.
Great events in the history of the
country should be commemorated by ap-
propriate celebrations. Patriotism is fos-
tered thereby and patriots are melted 10
nobler efforts Older countries, with rec
ords extending further back, but no more
brilliant nor more enduring than ours.
have holidays which they observe and
commemorate of the victories they have
gained, of the domain they have annexed,
OF the advances they have made in civil
iZation, of the progress they have ac-
complished toward the freedom We en-
joy:
mississippi section, no event in the his
tory of the government is of equal i'm
portance to the Louisiana Purchase, and
none is of greater moment to the people
of the entire country Who could or can
say what would have been the trend OF
events if the sunset side of the Father OF
Waters had remained under the control
OF a foreign power? Republican institu-
ticns in America would have had Il much
harder struggle and might not have sur
vived. The opportunity for development
which this transmississippi empire gave
so elevated and matured the character OF
our people that it inspired us with re-
rewed confidence in our stability and our
destiny. 1t gave us room abundant for
the oppressed of other nations. 1t gave us
undisputed possession of the mighty
river and it's outlets to the sea. Our ac-
QUESTION OF the Louisiana territory was a
great boon to the race as well as of in
calculable benefit to the young republic
It's development is unparalleled. To-day
it furnishes homes for twenty millions OF
intelligent freemen. 1t is the seat of the
Mulhall says is the richest on the globe
by two thousand millions of dollars"
After tracing the development d
til project, Mr.. Francis proceeded:
.'St Louis, as the largest and wealth.
est city in the Louisiana purchase, was
selected as the location for such an ex.
position, and the scale upon which i;
should be held was defined by the con-
purchase. That convention decided thai
a sum less than fifteen millions of dol
lars you'd be IsTcent of n to
named, and that 5000, 900 thereof should
lie furnished by the general government
sition government aid to the extent oi
S. 600 600, which, however, is not to bC
appropriated until the the city of st sio od6 LoTt; Sn
ana when the $5.OO0,O0O is appropriated, Il
is not to be made available until the
have been expended to the satisfaction o.
the secretary of the treasury. l submit
fa1r-m1nded men whetnef -
Louis is not doing her full duty il
agreeing to furnish ten of the fifteen mil
lion dollars required.
The bill throws proper safeguard:
around the expenditure of the money an>
the conduct of the exposition and if you
in your wisdom desire to strengthen thes'
safeguards. if il is possible to do so, W,
offer no objection. This is the most op
perfume time since the formation of ou
tion as it is proposed to hold. we hav,
taken new position among the nations
OF the globe since the Chicago Worldi
far seven years ago. Our achievement
have astonished the world. 1t is fit tina
we should invite the best thought of III
age and that the elect of every countr!
should be our guests.
II congress at it's present session shoul
refuse or fail to pledge the $4,000 pro
amendment calling for the increase of tn
bonded debt of the city of St. Louis
wo9La IN my 1rusIsio; eIactio iaIt can ca aoS
voted upon again and the project woul
consequently have to be abandoned"
Interrupted with Questions.
Mr.. Francis was frequently inter
rupted with questions by members q
the committee, showing in the main
sympathetic spirit toward the enter
prise. In response to inquiries fror
Mr.. Williams, of Mississippi, Mr.. Fran
els said it was essential to have a
congress, so that the state and cit
could take the necessary action i
time to have the actual appropriatio
provided at the next session of thi
congress.
other States Interested.
Gov. Shaw of Iowa, made witt
and felicitous speech, concludin
with the sfats.rent that Iowa support