The age-herald., 1902-05-03
Secretary Hay Submits Letter
 from Exposition Authorities
WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK
1t Would Be Difficult tot Get Sufficient Labor and Material to Finish the Immense Amount Of
 Work in Time.

Washington, May 2.-secretary Hay to- day sent to the Senate n letter stating the necessity for postponing >the Louisi- ana Purchase Exposition from 1903 to 1904.
 Enclosed with 1t was a letter from Chairman Carter from the government commission, and a letter from President Francis of the exposition company show ing the necessity for the postponement. Senator Coclrill had the letter read In the Senate and then offered an amend ment to the sundry civil bill now pending in the Senate providing for the postacne- ment of the exposition In accordance with the request
 The postponement amendment provides for the dedication of the buildings of the exposition on April 50 1903, for tl.e open ing of the exposition 10 visito $ on May 1, 1904, and for its closing not later than December 1 following The coining If $25O,000 in gold dollar pieces to be used as a souvenir coin is also authorized the money thus provided to be part of the $5. 100000 appropriated by Congress for the aid of the fair.
 Letters From MT. rFrancls.
 The telegram from D. R. Francis, pr ,s- ident of the exposition company, is dated St. Louis. May l. and Is addressed to T. H. Carter, president of the National Lou isiana Purchase Commission. It is as follows
 "In view of the conditions to which you call attention and in the light of all the facts 1t is now very clear that. whilst the buildings can be completed, the respec- tive states and territories and both for eign and domestic exhibitors cannot within the present time limit construct the buildings and Install the exhibits upon the scale commensurate with their de- sires and the magnitude of the exposi- tion enterprise. The scope of the exposi- tion is enlarging from day to day We are in continuous receipts of express sions from remote countries manifesting desire to participate in the exposition if more time can be had for preparing We feel that no effort should be spared to fully meet the expectation of this and other countries as to the character of this enterprise. and that it should in every respect be worthy of the great event which 1t is held to commemor- ate.
 Need Year for Preparation.
 we can use one additional year of preparation to great advantage It Is therefore, in the judgment of the com pany desirable that the time for opening the exposition be extended one year if such course meets the approval of the government and I am authorized by the executive committee and the directors to request that you present these conclusions to the President and to the secretary of state for transmission to Congress-"
 Senator Carter explains that MT Francis telegram is in reply to a tele- gram from himself. MT. Carter corrobor- ates the statements made by MT. Francis, and adds
 According to authorized facts and reasonable probabilities $20, 000, ,000 will be expended in the exposition grounds for construction by the United States gov ernm ent foreign governments, the expo sition company, the states, the territories and the concessionaires. With the labor and the manufacturing forces of the coun- try in demand to their full capacity it Is clear that the successful marshalling of the necessary labor and material for Ihe completion of this great task within not to exceed ten months of fair weather is questionable and if accomplished will surely involve wasteful expense and leave little time for the proper installation of exhibits"
 He, therefore as present of the I,ouis- lana Purchase Exposition, recommends the transmission of the proposition to Congress-.