The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-22
SAID THAT THIS WILL BE Off.
ciALLY ANNOUNCED SOON.
TIME WAS TOO SHORT
Found to Be impossible to Complete
the Buildings and Get Ready for
the Great Exposition.

Washington, April 17.-The Louis
lana Purchase exposition is to be post
poned until 1904. Announcement to
this effect will be made within the
next Is days. This is a statement
made by John M. Allen.
It is believed here that the formal
announcement will be made shortly
after the passage OF the sundry civil
appropriation bill, which is now under
consideration in the senate committee
on appropriations. The bill carries an
appropriation Of more than a million
dollars for the fair. It has already
passed the house of representatives
The interest of Senator Cockrell in
the provision Of the bill assures It's
acceptance by the senate.
It has been deemed better. however,
not to complicate the matter by a pre-
mature announcement of postpone
ment. Members of the Missouri dele
cation in congress asked that nothing
be done toward postponement until
after the bill passed the house. Now
the same Isl obtain for not max
ing the announcement until the senate
has passed the bill.
John Allen, member of the national
commission for the fair, has been in
We ch IN, ufCn yoNc% of tho 1yNo1, Nfu
Allen has spent the time since his ar.
rival here visiting the government
departments and informing himself
as to the necessities of the govern
ment in the preparation of it's exhibit.
Government Building.
He has been informed that the gov
eminent building cannot be complet-
ed in time. He has learned that there
is a general disinclination on the part
of foreign governments to participate
in the fair unless it is postponed be-
yond 1903. He has found no opposi-
ton on the part Of anyone in con,
gress to the postponement. When
last seen in st. Louis Mr.. Allen talk
ed with prominent members Of the
local corporation and reached the con
clusion that the postponement was
desired and was considered inevitable.
The national commission, Mr.. Allen
says, has been restrained from acting
because of the attitude assumed by
the fair MANAGEMENT.
Members of the directorate insisted
that they could prepare for the fair
in, 1903. AS long al they did SO the
national committee did not feel war
ranted in taking action. The commits
sion informed the local management
that when they were ready to admit
their inability to have the fair ready
by May, 1903, the commission would
consider the matter.
The St. Louis management greatly
hopes that President Roosevelt can
gress suggesting the necessity Of a
postponement. If such action can be
secured it will greatly simplify the
postponement. Legislation will be
necessary, but friends Of the fair in
both senate and house believe this
will be a comparatively easy task If
not delayed too long. The legislation
will be simple in its character, as It
will be designed to continue in force
the legislation already enacted which
provided for the fair in 1908.
There has been some talk Of hav-
ing the postponement legislation in
clude a provision making the appro.
priation of S. 0 900 made at the last
session OF congress Immediately avail
able. II this cours is persisted IN
it will probably not be successful.
The $4,000. 900 appropriation was
made with the provision that it should
not become available until after the
local corporation has expended $40,
006, 900.
Plenty Of Money.
Information received here indicates
that the financing Of the fair has beer
entirely satisfactory thus far, ant
there will be no necessity for the pro
vision which has been suggested from
some quarters.