The Forrest City times., 1901-10-04
FORREST CITY, ARK, FRIDAY AFTERNOON OCTOBER f. 1901
To Worlds Fair Workers

Following is an address by Presi. dent Whitaker touching Arkansas exhibit at St. Louis in 1903:
 To the People of Arkansas:
 We take this method of informing the honorary commissioners of the state. and others who are interested in the great exhibit to be made by Arkansas at St. Louis in 1903, that our policy in the future. as in the past. shall be as impartial and as liberal to each county in the state as our knowl- edge and ability will permit us to be To make perfect success with the small amount appropriated by the leg islature and to place our state in the front rank of other leading states. we have decided that it is best to expend all the money appropriated in the erec- tion of the Arkansas state building, less what is required to pay current expenses; not only this, but add an ad- ditional amount thereto. This the board of directors has to accomplish by plans already laid down. Hence. it will be seen that each county will be asked to organize and adopt it's own plans and regulations best suited to accomplish successful exhibit there from. Each county of the state will be represented in St. Louis according to the amount of resources she DOS. sesses and the amount of money raised to properly place these specimens on exhibition. However, there will be a general exhibit department to accom- modate the counties that are too poor or are not enterprising enough to beau tify and arrange an exhibit of their own. To do this successfully and for each county to make creditable ex- hibit, l could give you no better advice than to adopt the plans laid down by Jefferson county in her permanent or ganizati0n on the 18th inst, at Pine Bluff, copy of which will be fur. nished Dy Mir. Chas Watkins on ap- plication. For fear that other boards might absorb and destroy the useful ness of the parent board, I will sug- gest that you direct all communications of every nature relative to work in hand to Mir. Chas. Watkins, secretary
 
 office. Little Rock, Ark. Again please do not tax your minds with the plans, style or finish or possible cost of the state building. as that matter will be placed in the hands of the best archi- tects of the country, to be approved by the board of directors. Separate apart ments will be arranged for every coun. ty in the state that wishes to make an exhibit Several counties can combine where they expect to advertise the same material, for instance, the miner al region. marble etc.
 So it can readily be seen that any section will be allowed to get out as large specimens and advertise them in proportion to the amount she wishes to eXpend on them. The plan works no hardships on any one or any section. Knowing these facts. over half of the counties of the state have organized for the purpose of preparing and beau tifying a specimen lot of their county's resources. The state is being thor oughly aroused to this great import ance and is literally responding. I want to assure the good people of Ar kansas that nothing is being left un- done that will place the state in the front ranks of other states. The building will exceed your most san guine expectations.
 The manager and the assistant lady mnager to preside over this grand display of Arkansas resources will be selected not later than Thursday the 10th day of October, 1901 They will be chosen from among the most infiu- ential and the most distinguished peo- pie of the state, and while great many will be disappointed, we feel that we can safely say in advance that the ap- pointment will meeet with the univer- sal approval of the public. Having laid aside every personal preference. it shall be our only aim to encourage the selection of those who will best advance the interest of the entire state. and who are more in accord with the duties that will be devolved upon them. After these two positions are filled the great work will begin in earnest. Trusting a hearty co-operttion of the honorary commissioners of the state as well as the lady auxiliary boards, 1 am sincerely.
 John J Whitaker. President Board of Directors.