The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-02
AN EXHIBITION At
ST. LOUIS FAIR
COMMISSIONER JOHN BARRETT
EXPLAINS THE PROJECT TO
HONOLULU MEN.
COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO BE.
GIN WORK.

Representative Gathering Of Business
Men to Meet the Commissioner in the
Capitol Building.
The meeting yesterday of citizens
with Commissioner John Barrett of
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
was a thoroughly representative gath
ering. The audience in the throne
room of the Capitol showed an interest
in the project by local business men
and firms that indicated readiness to
lake hold of the matter with energy.
The result of the meeting was the APP
pointment of a committee consisting
of Acting Governor Cooper, chairman;
f. A. Schaefer, c. NJ Cooke, j. b. Ath-
erton, w. M. Giffard and b. f. Dill
lingham to take up the matter and
bring it before the Merchants AssOcia-
ton, the Chamber of Commerce and
Planters Association.
Commissioner Barrett was several
times applauded during the course of
a vigorous presentation of the subject
of the meeting. He first described the
large scope of the fair, and the enthu-
siasm of nations all over the world in
preparing the exhibitions they propose
to send. AS to Hawaii the Commits
siOncr said:
THE st. Louis Worlds Fair will give
Hawaii her first opportunity under the
new regime of annexation to show her
self to the rest of the United States in
her true light 1t will enable her to
convince the people of the great CEN
trail portion of the United States, and
through them their Senators and Con-
gressmen, that her growing material
and political interests must be reCOg
nized and safe guarded in the legisla-
ton of Congress. A comprehensive
and creditable exhibit of Hawaii will
be described and pictured by the press
of the entire United States
ION the other hand if Hawaii is not
represented at all, or in a limited way
adverse comment will be excited and
unfavorable comparisons will ne made
with other States, Territories, and out-
lying possessions, that will surely re-
act to her disadvantage. Were this
Exposition merely sectional, or limited
in plan and scope, with only few
States and countries taking part, the
absence of Hawaii, or the presence of
a small exhibit, would not be particu-
larly noticed. On the other hand in
view of the undoubted magnitude of
the undertaking, Hawaii must be
there, and in such a way as is COM
u a
growing Importance as magic land of
the mid-Pd cific.
LET me emphasize here that it is the
announced determination of the LOui-
siana Purchase Exposition manage
ment that discreditable, low-class Vau-
deville and spectacular effects shall
not be allowed place within the linn
it's of this Worlds Fair. 1t is its ac-
knowledged intention to avoid those
III
been so prominent in other EXpositiOns
In other words, we want Hawaii to be
seen, studied, and admired at st. Louis
in her legitimate exhibits, rather than
made an agent for theatrical amuse-
ment in the form of hula-hula dances
THAT this may come home to you al
the stronger, l might put it in another
way: Provided the business interests
and the Government of Hawaii vii
participate on a scale which VIII be
creditabe alike to the Island and tC
the Exposition, the officials and citi-
zens OF this Territory can rest assured
that Hawaii will not be disgraced by
/ Unwholesome Midway attractions. Or
I the other hand, if Hawaii should de-
/ cline to participate and therefore not
/ show even as much interest as the EX-
/ position management, the latter cannot
be blamed if in granting concessions, in
] order to have some kind of Hawaiian
! participation, some features creep in
which might not meet your approval.
knowing personally and officially
/ the wishes of President Roosevelt and
| the United States Government on the
enc hand, and of President Francis anC
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition OF
the other hand, / would urge upon yoI
/ to make such an industrial, economic
agricultural, educational, geographical
chronological, and government exhibit
as will interest and instruct all who
visit the ST. Louis Worlds Fair, and as
. will react to your vast advantage. lie
the people of the United States see tn,
old and the new Hawaii; let them be
. able to note your actual resources anC
| your methods of developing them. lie
them have the opportunity of seeing
| native HawaiianS in other than Mid
} way village and dance-hall. Let then
look at your sugar plantations anC
their workings on a small but repre-
sentative scale that will speak plainly
of what you have at stake in that in,
dustry; let them be convinced of your
advance in eduCa tiOnGl and economic
lines; let them be taught there thu
problems and conditions that confrOn
your government. so that you may
have their sympathy and interest TO 4
greater degree; let them look at you
Islands in miniature geographical re-
production that they may understand
the conformation and area.
In conclusion, would make a hum
I bile recommendation on the all import
gut question of ways and means. Rec
| Cgnizing that your Government can d,
nothing except by act of your legiSla
. ture, whose next session is yet a Ions
ways off, l would strongly advise tina
the community at large, or through il
/ leading organizations, such as tn
. Chamber of Commerce, Merchants As
ISOLATION, and Planters Association
appoint a Worlds Fair Promotion
| Committee, or a Hawaiian World
Fair Association to take pTelminar,
steps and devise ways and means
Something of this kind | would res
Fectfully urge should be done withou
| delay whether the Exposition is to b.
held in 1903 or719O4. If held in the for
mer year such procedure is imperativ
| and is the only way of securing Ia
] ,,..iiap partisipat ., tho 10