The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-12-24
Miscellaneous.
THE COMING WORLDS FAIR.

Something About the Great St. Louis Expo
Sition OF 1908, by David R Francis, For
mer Governor (, ( Missouri and President o.
The Louisiana Purchase ExpOSition-WIit
ten for the saturday Evening Post.
IT is an i~npractica ole tdsk to oom;
prise within the limits of magazine
ssrtiole the plan and SCOPE of the pro-
posed LDuIric IA Purchase Exposi
ton, commonly known as the st.
Louis Worlds FAIR, to say nothing
of the imposslbility of adequately
describing its details.
Primarily, the st. Louis Worlds
Fair of 1903 cannot appropriately be
compared with, or ~oOntrasted with,
any other Worlds Fair, for the 1ea
son shat it's plan is unlike that OF any
ether and it's SCOPE is of a magnitude
shat will surpass all others and rem
der comparisons and contrasts in
adequate. Il will be unique, a thing
entirely apart, Sui genertS.
Il has been said that the plan of
she Fair is an evolution. In a sense
this is true. It is the development
Of an it ca struggling to compass the
magnitude of an occasion. The ap.
preaching century of the purchase
of the Louisiana Territory from the
French by the Government of the
United States will be an occasion of
historic interest not only to the oiti
zens of the Territory, bat 80 all the
people of the United States, and, in
It's consequences, to all the civilized
world.
To most persons the Louisiana
Purchase" is a hazy, indefinite term,
and TO many, meaningless. But the
transsotion that gave us the term
was one whose magnitude is even
yet nos fully comprehended by our
own people. It put the young Re
Uuolio of she United States of Amer
Ica in possession of the mouth of the
Mississippi River, gave it control of
the country tributary 80 it and TO its
af1uents from Canada to the Gulf of
Mexico, and TO the crest of the Rocky
Mountains and virtually 80 the Paoi
fc Ocean. Is added to our demain
SIS, OPS square miles, being greater
In extent than the territorial area of
she thirteen original States. Within
little more than the span of a human
life, out of this Territory have grown
Fhirteen States and swo Territories
with a population of nearly 15,000,-
600, and a taxable wealth Of i'm
mense value.
When Napoleon signed the treaty
transferring this imperial domain he
said, prophetioally "This aCqnisi-
ton of territory strengthens forever
she power of the United States. 1
have just given TO England a mari
time rival that will sooner Oh later
humble her pride"
This near approach of the centen
NAL anniversary of the Louisiana
Purchase attracted the attention of
the Missouri Historical Society 90
early as the spring of 1892, and it be-
gan = discussion of a proper oere-
monisl for the occasion. At first
she erection of u monument TO
Thomas Jefferson, through whose
efforts, mainly, the treaty of purchase
was contaminated, was considered.
Then a large scheme was suggested
the assemblage of the States and
Territories included in the purchase
in a mighty celebration.
Finally on January 10, 1899, repre-
sentatives Of all the States in the
Purchase assembled in St. Louis, on
Invitation of the Governor, and a
Worlds Fair Was resolved upon
The interesting evolutions of the
of a fit celebration need not be
rac;ted in detail. The Fair finally
bacume the central idea and its suo-
the dominant purpose Of not
less than half the population Of the
United States. The necessary money
has been raised-$1O, 100000 by the
municipality and citizens of the city
If S.. Louis, 200, 900 by the State
of Missouri, S., OOc, 900 by the United
States Government, and various
sums by States and Territories to
the aggregate of nearly $I7, 900, 900,
with other States yet to contribute.
All details have been perfected.
President IF the TTDitad C4otos