Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-13
IS FAR TOO SMALL
Major Mahon Believes $4,000 Not
Enough for Iowa at ST. Louis.
At LEAST 100000 SHOULD BE GIVEN
Ottumwa Member of Exposition Com
mission Takes Issue With Senate
Appropriations Committee Which
Has Reported That Sum-.

IFrom Mondays Daily.]
THE idea which seems to prevail in
the senate appropriations committee
that $4,000 will be enough for the St.
Louis exposition is absurd" says Maj
or Samuel Mahon, Of this city, a mem
per of the Louisiana purchase eXposi-
ton commission.
IF Iowa cannot afford to give more
money than that amount" he contin-
ued, there is not much use in the
state making an effort to be represent
ed" With that sum of money to
spend Iowa could do no more than
hope to be classed as a second class
state, and her representative citizens
will not stand it. 81 believe we should
appropriate the full amount asked for
by the commission, $3.50 900, but if it
was necessary 100000 would do" Ma
jor Mahon's expressions We're prompt
ed by the report that the senate APP
preparations committee had agreed to
appropriate STE 900 for an Iowa repre-
sentation at the big fair, and that the
committee believed that this amount
would be all that was required. Major
Mahon takes strong issue, and it is
his opinion that in order to make a
proper showing a much larger amount
should be appropriated.
Was Present.
Major Mahon was one of the COM.
missioners who were present before
the committee one day last week, and
who urged a large appropriation. He
said that Iowa would be one of the
most important states to be represents
ed at the exposition, and he said it's
people demanded that a proper show
ing should be made. He called atten.
ton to the fact that the city of st.
Louis had appropriated $10,0 00, 900 for
the exposition, the general govern
ment SIS, 900, 900 and the state of Mis-
souri, $1,000, 900. This sun is larger
than any other exposition in the world
ever had to draw upon. By the ex-
penditure of this sum some idea of the
magnitude of the affair can be con-
ceived. Major Mahon thinks Iowa
would look entirely out of place repre-
scented at such an affair of this kind
with a $4,000 appropriation. In his
opinion it would take more than this
sum to erect the proper kind OF q
building.
Not Enough.
Mr.. -Mahon believes that at least
? $1,000 OO or $125,000 will be finally de-
Clded upon u III MS opinion tulS VIII
4 not be enough money. In view
r of the proximity of Iowa and st.
1 Louis he looks for an extraordinary
: large number of Iowa people to attend
the fair, and if this is the case they
will not be satisfied unless their state
is as well represented as any other.
t What Iowa Has Done.
Major Mahon called attention to the
fact that Iowa appropriated $155,000
e for the Chicago Worlds fair. Every.
e thing indicates that the st. Louis eX
e position will be far ahead of this, and
S it is a we'll known fact that this states
S showing at that fair vas zone toe
great. Iowa gave S35, 900 for the Oma'
ha exposition of a few years ago. and
e that will be a small thing as compared
with the ST. Louis fair. Mr.. Mahor
hopes that the people will take up the
matter strong enough so that the Iegis
lature will see its way clear to make
i a reasonable appropriation. He be
lieves that Iowa has an opportunity
S now to do more for itself thar ever be
fore, and that it should avail itself o.
the opportunity.