Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-05-08
GIVEN YEARS RESPITE.
The St. Louis Worlds Fair Will
Take an Additional Year
for Preparation.
A STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT FRANCIS.
Ii Is Up TO Congress Now to Legalize
the POstpOnement by Continuing
the Appropriations for Govern
ment and Territorial Represents
ton at the Big show.

st. Louis, May 3.-The action of the
Worlds fair executive committee, IA
voring postponement of the EXPOSE
ton until 1904, approved by the board
of directors, and President Francis
forwarded to Washington, Thursday
night, a statement over the signature
of all the directors that could be
reached, expressing their wish that
the fair should be held in 1904. Twen-
ty of the directors gave their sigma
ture to this statement in the office
of the executive committee. Thirty
one others were communicated with
over the telephone, and permission
was obtained to afiix thir m OF
the remaining members of the board,
20 we're known to be out of town,
and others could not be reached at
their residences or offices.
The statement which was sent to
Washington contains many of the
reasons that have been assigned, I'M
officially, by members of the direc-
tory why the postponement should be
effected. The substance of the state
ment is that, while the exposition
might be finished in some sort in the
time allotted, there was needed an
other year, by the United States as
well as other governments, to effect
their respective parts of the work
on the scale of magnitude and thor
oughness that has been conten-
plated.
President d. r. Francis made a full
expression of his attitude and that
ter the final action had been taken
by the board of directors. He said:
President Francis statement.
"The sundry civil bill, which passed the
house several weeks ago, and is now 60
ing through the senate, contains an APP
preparation of 81, GAS, 900 to provide for a
government exhibit, a special Indian ex-
hibit and the additional cost of the gov
building at the Louisiana Pur-
chase exposition. 1t was deemed adVlsa-
Bile to have the date of the fair definitely
ixed in that bill, in the event any
change from 1903 should be decided upon.
For many months past the fair has Vir-
tually been postponed for one year. A
decided majority of the directors prefer
1904, and have for six months or more.
The repeated requests of both domestic
and foreign exhibitors for postponement,
effect that they had not sufficient time
in which to make preparation for a rep
resentative exhibit in 1893; the statement
of Gov. Taft that the Philippines would
not be able to install their exhibits in a
creditable manner If the exposition should
not be postponed to 1904; the expressed
fear of the government architect that he
could not procure material for a govern.
,,1n I,t1linr w 1lIl and tho fnFt fhu
the general public have for months con-
sidered pOstponement a foregone eXcIu-
sion, were some of the reasons that moved
the executive committee to inform the
national commission that any action OF
congress changing the time of the expo
sition from 1903 to 1904 would be ac'
~Ceptable.
q. a telegram from President Carter of the
national commission was received. Sen.
ator Cockrell wired us that the sundry
civil bill would pass the senate on sat
urday, and if a change of date was &c
be Incorporated therein. congress shout
he Immediately advised of the wishes OF
the local corporation. There was not suf-
ticient time in which to call Il meeting
of the board of directors to take action
on the subject, consequently the eXecu-
tive committee authorized me to express
their wishes to the effect that a post
ponement should be ordained by con-
gress ra., .o,ou,x~
! framed a reply, setting forth the con.
clusion of the executive committee, but
before sending the message, made ,etfor'
to get the views of every director in the
city. Fifty of them were consulted, anC
without an exception every one favored
"A postponement. l have, therefore, re
piled to President Carter, of the nationa
commission, to that effect, and asked tina
our conclusions be submitted to cen
gress and to the president. | think ther,
is no doubt as to the action congress viii
take, and that it will be in favor of post
pOnement."