The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-16
POLITICS IN THE FAIR.

Within the present week the State Of
Missouri will issue its charter TO a new
corporation known as the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition Company" This
will mark the formal legal beginning Of
the Worlds Fair of 1903. 1t will mark
also the beginning of 4 struggle upon
the outcome Of which the success Of the
Exposition will depend.
The articles of Incorporation must
designate the first board of directors,
and the board thus constituted will i'm
mediately plunge into the struggle TO
which The Republic alludes. 1t will be
n struggle over patronage, n struggle
To turn the Worlds Fair organization
into 4 political machine to he operated
for the benefit Of politicians and to pro-
vide reward for political workers. This
is not the expression of 4 surmisc; it is
the bold statement of fact openly
ayowed and nnblushinsly admitted. :s
may readily be ascertaincd by refer
ence TO extracts from the GlObe-DemO-
crat of yesterday printed in another col
umn Oh this page.
a - stlltu w lHt NsiSLiuSlou L
spondent of the Glohe-D Democrat that
certain political leaders expect st. Louis
10 do the fair thing and that this
comes from men high in office and in
party councils In Il feeble effort to
eaken the political significance of his
announcement the correspondent de-
clares that this outrageous conspiracy
lis not confined to one party" but so
far as the Worlds Fair enterprise is
concerned 1t makes little difference
whether this political raid comes from
II party or all parties. The issue will
make or ruin the Fair according as 1t is
determined.
The struggle to prevent this invasion
Of politics cannot be delayed. 1t is at
hand, and the board of directors must
meet the issue as soon as it organizes.
The same Washington correspondent
heretofore quoted announces, with a
tone of semiotiicial authority, that the
Republican candidate who failed to be
elected Governor Of Missouri In Novem-
Der last will be presented for appoint
ment as traffic manager Of the EXPOSE
ton and that Notwithstanding the ma
tional commission appointed by Presi-
dent Mckinley have no authority to
make such an appointment, propose to
bring it before the st. Louis people when
they meet there on the 23d." The be-
ginning Of the struggle to make the
Worlds Fair staff corps a political Or
Sanization is, therefore, slated for next
Tuesday.
There should be no question as to the
outcome Of this struggle. If the Worlds |
Fair is to be a haven Of rest for political
barnacles, a medium of reward for par
ty workers, 1t will fall far short of its
ambitious aims and %grievously disap- |
point those who have given their money |
and their service for its promotion. II |
a substantial success is to be realized |
the board Of directors must take it's |
at the start, firm and infexible, |
against the political raiders. Once the
blightins touch Of politics is permitted
the beginning of Generalization and de- |
cay will be seen. The board must make |
The fight the first moment the issue is
raised if it wishes to make it with sue
cess.
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition
will need the best talent it can obtain
in every branch of its work, and it
should pay the salaries that will bring
the talent it needs, but it will be a fatal
blunder to make a place or a salary to
serve a political necessity. No employc
Of the Fair should get his poSition he
cause he is a Democrat or Republican.
but no competent man should be barred
from appointment because of his poll
tics. The line of distinction can easily
be observed. but it cannot safely be ig-