Evening star., 1902-01-18
FAIR WILL NOT BE DELAYED
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT ST. LOUIS
DENIES RUMOR.
Chance Expression by Ex-Governor
Francis Was MiscOnstrued by
Newspaper Correspondents.

says: Whereas the public press has agi- |
tated the question of the postponement OF |
the Louisiana purchase exposition; !
"Resolved That under the act Of Con- |
gress and under every plan of the board OF |
directors and executive committee, the eX- |
position will open and close in the year
1GO3.'
This resolution was unanimously adopted
at a meeting of the executive committee OF
the exposition company this evening to set
at rest a statement coming from WASH
ington to the effect that the worlds falr
might have to be postponed from 1898 until
1901.
The dispatches from Washington, quot
ing President D. r. Francis and Director
Adolphus Busch of the worlds fair COM
pany as intimating that the Louisiana pur-
chase exposition might not be held until
1904 created surprise among those VINO
have from the first consistently adhered TO
| the statement tnat the Wcrio 1dir "ouio
be held in 1858.
William H. Thompson treasurer Of the
| company, when shown the dispatch from
| Washington, expressed his surprise. A call
for a meeting of the executive committee
| was at once issued. The matter for which
| the meeting was calieSewas discussed at
| the opinion. 1t was stated, that the original
| Intention of holding the fair In l9oS shouio
| be adhered to.
| In behalf of the city of ST. Louis and Of
| the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Com
| pany a request was sent to the Secretary
| of State at Washington that st. Louis may
be included in the itinerary of Prince Henry
| of Germany, who is soon to Visit the onl'eo
States.
| 1t is well and generally understood that
President Francis, the board OF directors,
and the executive committee are WorhlHg
hard and theoretically for the opening Oh
the fair in 1903.
Mr.. Busch of the board Of directors, who
is in the city, last night made this state
ment:
s.If the foreign powers desire, in order to
| participate here in dignified manner with
be taken into favorable consideration. We
| claimed originally that the st. Louis expo
, sition shall be one of the grandest ever
; held; that it shall excel all others. IN
. | order to do that we must have word
exposition and the world must participate.
and If it appears that more time is needed
by the foreign governments it is perfectly
!, in order to postpone the fair, II necessary.
Statement of Ex-Gov. Francis.
Ex-Governor Francis, who Is in the city
3 made the following statement regarding
$ reports that the Louisiana purchase expo
=: sition would be postponed from l9O3 10 leo4
s 81 was much surprised to learn that q
n statement had been printed to the effect
: that l had virtually admitted that the fail
3 have never advocated nor contemplated
. | such action. On behalf of the local com
p pany desire to say that 1T can be ready
= for the exposition in 1903, ana VIII OF
: | ready. When some newspaper men ASKED
me today If the fair would be postponed
and l made negative reply, was asKet
/: we could not prepare better fair In 100
e than in 1903. l replied Yes, and SO cal
+ we prepare better fair for 2OO4 than 10
. 1904 1 cannot say why this statemen
:. should be construed as an admission ina
e the Louisiana purchase exposition Woulo
y postponed from the date hxed py Congres
it | and announced by the President IN nj
g proclamation inviting foreign countries t
. participate. Some Of the European gov
ernments have sent replies declining, an
one object of my visit to Washington
N to ask that the State Department and tn
I'd | administration bring add1tlonai pressur
y upon such governments to reconsider tnel
NJ conclusion. IT, however, they should e T
Of Louis would not have exhibits from tnos
countries. our commissioners Woul
+ make direct appeals to manufacturers an
N other exhibitors therein One or more
= the foreign countries have given as reason
p p | for their declfnation thatsthey nave not LIN
~ in which to prepare Whether the govern
ba ments so declining would participate
0 o0o aScertained
rs II am still In conference with the Stat
10 Department and trust THAT within the nel
ad few days some plan will be evolved wher
70 by foreign governments that nave decline
ho h | can be induced to reconsider.
We If" continued Governor Francis, II
he State Department, or the administratlo
he he or Congress should desire this fair pos
nc poned in order to give foreign government
,ra longer time in which to prepare, have J
IN doubt the local corporation would readi
ev accede to such wishes"
~ DO you expect that such a contingent
will arise?" the governor was asked.
mo, do not expect It,. but firmly b
vn lteve that everything will be IN readlne
III and the fair win open on time"