The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-11
Alabama to Be Represented
 atSt. Louis Exposition.
Commissioners Held Enthusiastic Meeting in Montgomery and Prepared Aggressive Cam
 paign to Secure Desir- 'r ' ed Appropriation.

beginning April 90. 1904. At a meeting il
 Montgomery yesterday resolved to asl
 the Alabama, Legislature to appropriat t S0,0o0 for a State exhibit at the grea show.
 The meeting of the Commission wa,
 held in the rooms of the Commercial ant
 Industrial Association beginning at | o'clock and much enthusiasm was mani fested.
 T. was the first meeting of the Com nlissioners and it was marked not only | by large attendance of the membership from over the State. but by the enthu. siasm which was put into the movement which will mean so much to Alabama.
 There were present from the State al large. R. R. Poole. State Commissions. of Agriculture and Industries; J. M of Gadsden.
 7 Second District-Alex Rice and l.. L.. Gilbert of Montgomery.
 Third District-R. W. German of Ope- lika. and A. c. Crawford of Dothan.
 Fourth District-D. T. Goodwin of An niston.
 Fifth District-E. W. Booker of speig- uer.
 Eighth District-R. E. Pettus of Hunts vile. J. H. Nathan of Sheffield.
 Ninth District-J. H. Estes of Birming- ham.
 The Commission was called to order by MT. Poole. Chairman of the Commission and L. l.. Gilbert was elected Acting Sec retary of the meeting.
 Colonel Jones Speaks.
 Chairman Poole introduced to the Com mission Colonel T. Sambola Jones of Bat on Rouge, La, Southern Commis- sioner of the Exposition Company.
 Colonel Jones said that although he was a Southerner bred and born and life l time citizen of Southern State and had in Alabama many kinspeople, yet he oc- | cupied delicate position in coming to the State from the outside to advise with | the Commission as to the importance of Alahama's representation at the St. Louis | Exposition. He was here, however, to discuss what other States had done and l to give their experience as to the ways ] and means of accomplishing an exhibit 1 from the State. l After a year and half of work and 1 consultation he said the officials of the ] Exposition recognized the fact that it was a physical impossibility to construct an | entirely new city. to equip it with sew | craze. electric light systems, road ways, | q handsome structure costing in total something like $30.O0O.0OO and get the work accomplished so as to be ready to open in 1903. It would take night and day work on the part of everyone interested to accomplish it by 1904. Sixteen million | five hundred thousand dollars was being spent by the State and National Commis- sions in getting ready the ground work and foundations. Alabamas exhibit would necessarily be a comparative one. 1 The Commissioners should not prepare an exhibit simply as though this State was the only one to be represented at the Exposition. It must take into account what other States were doing as all would necessarily be compared with each other. | What Others are Doing.
 The State of Louisiana he said had | appropriated $I00,000 by the practically unanimous vote of it's Legislature. The Georgia Legislature now in session. he said. would probably pass an appropria- ton bill for $4O,OOO and follow it up next year with an appropriation of $35, GOO more. making $75000 in all.. Virginia and Mis- sissippi he said. have just passed bills authorizing the appropriation of $5O,0O0 each. Arizona and Arkansas had made an appropriation of $30.0Oo and other Southern States were making adequate | appropriations to exploit their advan- tages.
 Alabama Colonel Jones declared. must not be behind in the movement and all the forces of the State should be asked to cooperate in securing an adequate appropriation looking to the proper ad- vertisement of Alabama's rich natural resources at this the capstone of eXposl- ton effort in the world. l R. W German of Opelika, related the experience of the State at the Buffalo Exposition.
 Mir. Nathan said that the exhibit should | be commensurate with the building which it occupied and referred to the meager exhibit made by the United States at the Paris Exposition. If a sufficient fund | could not be appropriated by the legisla- ture to make the exhibit from Alabama 4 credltable one he was in favor of mak- ing none at all.
 Enthusiastic talks and valuable sugges- tions was made by Commissioner Estes of Birmingham, Captain Falkuer of Mont | gomery. R. F. Pettus of Huntsville and | other members of the commission. Chairman Poole was given authority by | the commission to select permanent sec retary of the commission from his office l to conduct the work of the commission | in connection with him He announced l the appointment to the place of J. (. Adams of Montgomery.
 On motion of MT. Estes a committee of 1 three consisting of Chairman Poole, Cap 1 tain Falkner and R. w. Gooman was ap- ! pointed to draft manifesto or statement i of the scope of the St. Louis Exposition and of what the Alabama Commission desired the State to do in the matter of an exhibit and calling upon all organi- cations. both bushes. municipal and poll tical to join with the commission in united effort to secure a creditable dispaly at St. Louis.
 To Ask for $5O,ooo. On motion of Captain Falkuer the Commission unanimously agreed to re- quest an appropriation from the legisla- ture of $50 OO0 for the purpose of securing a creditable exhibit from Alabama at St. | Louis
 The Commission designated Captain Falkner and such others of the commits sion as could accompany him to visit St, Louis before January l and acquaint themselves with the situation there Mir. Lay of Gadsden announced that he would l go with Captain Falkner.
 Professor Wilcox in charge of the | botanical department of Auburn college was present and upon invitation of the commission explained the interest felt by that college in the exhibit from Alabama and rendered his services to the Commis- sion in securing an exhibit not only of the forestry, but of the flora of Ala ! bama,
 Commissioner Lay was appointed as chairman of the legislative work of the Commission.
 The Thanks of the Commission were ex- | nf