The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-27
WORLDS FAIR CRITICISED;
w. B. STEVENS MAKES REPLY.
New York Publishes Interview Attributed to I'm
named National Commissioner in Which the Management
Is Accused o Inactivity Favoritism and Failure to
Appreciate the Magnitude of the Enterprise.
comMENDs PRESIDENT FRANCIS BUT SAYS HE IS ovERwoRKED
STEyENs.s REPLY.

Secretary Walter B. Stevens or the Expo
sition Company, when Informed Oh the
statements published in the Mail and EN
press. as coming from member OF the
National Commission, made denial In de-
tail and generally of the alleged CRITICISMS.
''As to the statement that lack of energy
has been shown in securing needed sup-
soriptions and foreign exhibits said MT.
Stevens 1.-THE facts are that over one-halr
of the stock subscriptions by citizens oil st.
Louis have already been collected by the
Exposition Company, and are in the treas
ury of the company together with the s'-
10000 appropriated by the city OF st. LOUIS.
Nothing stands between the use of the
national appropriation Of Sco0Oo by the
Exposition Company, but the expenditure
of the available funds In the treasury less
about 81, 100000. which remains TO pe COZ
lected from private subscriptions. Ihls out
standing sum is coming into the treasury
rapidly. The st. Louis Exposition Is at tnis
day in possession of more than ample funds
10 cover tho indebtedness for all existing
contracts.
In the matter of lacking energy in Sc
curing foreign exhibits. we happen to be
Just five months ahead of the Chicago
Worlds Fair. The. first foreign exhibits
are already on the way to this country.
seventeen months before the opening of the
Fair We are also far ahead of the Chicago
exposition at a corresponding period in the
matter of acceptances of foreign Govern
ments to participate. Not only is this the
case, but the displays promised are ex-
pected to surpass those made at Chicago
by every Government which has declared
its intention of taking part officially in tie
Exposition.
r.
position Company relied too much on cir
culars for its exploitation work, I can say
that the complaint we have experienced Is
that We have not sent out large enough
supply. The sending out of Exposition lit
erature Is being increased steadily as the
time for opening the Fair approaches.
The documentary evidence in possession
Of the Secretary of the company will DEM
onstrate without fear of contradiction. that
the statement made concerning the status
of the New England States is based on a
clear misapprehension Of the true situation,
as every one knows who makes it their
business to follow up the progress of prep
arations for the Fair.
1T shows that three of the New England
states have appointed commissions, which
could not work without the means to do so
L. Siio"s thtt Sonnecucut mas accepted her
site for State building, and the assurances
from Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are
that these commonwealths will soon make
provision to be represented as fifty as their
sisters of the New England States.
Replying to the published statement that
too much is expected Of a few men, can
say that wherever a commissioner has fndi-
Gated that he needed assistance this help
has been granted promptly, and the manage
ment will continue to carry out this policy
OF allowing nothing to stand In the way OF
adequate representation abroad.
'The powerful assistance given by the
consular service Of the Government abroad
is forgotten by the person who makes the
statement in the Eastern newspaper.
"As to John Barrett being the only per-
son who is handling the entire Orient,
can gay that only the other day he was ca
bied authority to appoint an assistant COM
missioner in that quarter Of the globe He
has also appointed agents of the company
at several points in China The Exposition
Company expects to follow up this in
creased representation when It Is desired
''The matter of President Francis being
overworked is something that he only may
answer"