The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-09-12
BUFFALO MANAGEMENT BAD

Idaho Not Doing Herself Credit In horticu
ture 1t Pan.American Expostlon-Too
Many Politicians and not Enough
Fruit Men.
The following letter will explain itself
1t states publicly what has been given
out from different private sources and is .
regretable condition of things, to say tn,
least:
Buffalo, N. Y, Aug. IS, 1901.
PROF. Robt. Milliken, Nampa, Idaho
my Dear Friend-As you are deep +,
interested in the welfare of Idaho, es
pecially at this time in regard to the
fruit exhibit which your state is trying
to make at the Fan-Americah Exposition
I am going to write to you about this
matter, which l have intended to do for
some weeks past. l have no interest in
Idaho more than in any other state, and
1t would be entirely improper for ME to
feel otherwise owing to my official posi-.
ton here, if l so desired, ,ut want to
see the state do the very best that is
possible in the line of fruit display and
Idaho is coming far from being creditably
represented here.
I'm the FIRST place Governor Hunt
made great mistake, as see it, in put
ting the politicians in charge instead OF
those who had knowledge and love
of the business of horticulture. It takes
fruif mon ~ s,,oLo n E-,,;& ,l.o.,, - II
they are working at home collecting the
fruit or displaying it at the exposition
aud talking about it here, which latter
is very important part of the work.
am obliged to say that there has been
no one here in charge of the Idaho fruit
exhibit who has been competent to talk
about fruit culture there and abort the
varities that are suitable, and Ill such
things, except what the ordinary politi-
clan could do-and mean no disrespec:
whatever to anyone who has been or is
here. Those who have been on the Ida
no space here have done the best they
could, but they have told me plainly that
they felt out of place and have seemed
anxious that some one who understood
the business should have been in their
stead. The bottom of the trouble is and
has been that the thing has been grossly
mismanaged. and wish to say in this
connection that the only really good peo-
pie who have been here from Idaho, so
far as exposition work is concerned, have
just been summarily dismissed from their
positions by a telegram from Commission
er Rice, copy of which l saw. These
were Mr.. M. ]. Vessels and his wife, who
planned the exhibit in both the horti-
culture and the agriculture departments,
and executed them in beautiful style so
far as the material went. In the agri-
culture building they we're able to make
one Of the most artistic and attractive ex-
hibits to be seen there. Maybe their
work was complete. but think anyone
who has the ability to correctly plan and
install the exhibit would have sufficient
judgment. if not the moral right. to stay
with the exhibit to the end and explain
the different parts to the visitors.
"But this is depressing a little from
horticulture TO agriculture and wish to
say to you emphatically that, unless
something is done to put the fruit men in
charge Of things, both here and at home,
the fruit exhibit is going to be failure,
and that would be very sad thing in
deed and one which we all would greatly
regret. ! made special trip to your
state and others in the northwest last
winter to work up the fruit exhibits, as
you we'll know. and now to see the thing
60 by the board for some foolish political
reasons. or others that perhaps do not
fully understand, makes me feel very
badly. Can not you do something to get
some good fruit here? There has been q
little. but ! am sorry to say very little,
and the most Of that has been sent by
Mr.. Perrine Of Blue Lakes and Mr..
Schleisher Of Lewiston. Let us hope
and strive that Idaho will not be left in
the lurch in the fruit department.
know that Mr.. Vessels did splendidly in
making fruit show at the Omaha ex-
position few years ago for was there
to see it, but think that Idaho can even
do better than was done there Yours
for the good of Idaho,
III. E. VANDEMAN,
Pomolqgiet Pan-Amerean Exposition"
--->or-o
AccAnks Chaie