Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-05
No DELAY FOR FAIR
Rumor That St. Louis Exposition
Will Be Postponed Until
1904 Denied.
Tawney Says No Legislation
With That End in View
is Likely.
Some OF the Senators. Hover,
Think That Postponement
is Inevitable.


been repeated rumors in Washington
during the past few days that the LOU
isiana Purchase Exposition Company
lis trying to secure legislation for the
postponement of the fair until some
later date than 1908. These reports
have been given general credence be-
caus of the feeling here that the COM
pany will not be able to get the build
ings and exhibits ready in time. The
reports have had it that President
Francis or other officers of the COM
pany have addressed Chairman Tawney
dustrial expositions, asking him to
frame such legislation. Mr.. Tawney
said yesterday:
mo legislation of the kind has been
under consideration either by me or the
members of my committee so far as
know No requests have been made for
me to take up the matter. My commit
tee has thus far concerned itself only
with the matter of an appropriation for
the government exhibit and building at
the fair. / know of no movement for
postponement."
The appropriation for the fair must
eventually be passed upon by the APP
preparations committee of the house.
OF this committee Congressman Joe
Cannon, of Illinois, is chairman. He
said:
I'VE have not considered the question
of providing for the st. Louis fair as
yet. We have had no Suggestions as
to postponement and probably would
not have considered 1t If there had been
an attempt to bring the matter before
us. That would be new legislation and
would be ruled out of any appropria-
ton bill on point of order. 1 have
had no suggestions as to postpone
ment"
As near as can be learned from mem
bers and senators who have considered
the matter, postponement of the fair is
inevitable. The fair people have, how
ever, maintained the position that post
ponement must not come on their initi-
ative. They have said the movement
ments requesting 1t or the United
States government. When the post
movement does come it will
probably be in that guise. 1t is thought
possible the president may even be in
duced to address message to congress
on the subject. Whatever the form of
initiative the worlds fair people will
be behind 1t. They are solely interested
and no action will be taken except af-
ter advising with them.
Then, when the initiative comes, the
fair people propose to be in position
to show the steps they have taken in
their efforts to get ready for the fair
and to Shift the responsibility for the
postponement from themselves. For
this reason they do not want the post
ponement to come until they have am
pie evidence of their efforts toward
They want to get the diff
ferent state legislatures interested and
committed to the fair. They want their
buildings started and we'll under way
They want to collect a large part of
the popular subscriptions and assure
the financial end of the fair before
is decided upon and an
nounced. The talk of postponement
until 1905 is not credited here
When the postponement comes 1t is
believed 1t will come to 1904. The
strongest argument In favor of this is
the fact that President Roosevelt has
been sounded on the postponement mat
ter and has expressed preference for
1904, as he wishes to have the fair held
in his administration
St. Louis, March 5-President ID. r.
Francis was questioned yesterday
about the Geographic announcement in
the papers tc the effect that Congress-
man James A. Tawney was preparing
tc introduce at Washington the cues
ton of postponement until 1905. II
can not imagine where these stories
originate ne said. Certainly there is
no foundation for them. You may say.
that this latest fiction is
no exception to others that have pre-
coded it-there is not word of truth in
it. have kept In touch with Mr.. Taw-
ney, and we understand each other
thoroughly on this subject"