The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-10

"A. M. Bowman, OF tROanOKej MT. ". w.
Koiner Commissioner of Agriculture.
as commissioners TO serve the State In
the work Of arranging for the supervise
| ing the collection and installation of
| Virginia's exhibit of It's resources at st.
| Louis,
| The gentlemen above named accepted
| the position without expectation OF any
| reward other than the approval Of their
| fellow citizens and the hearty co-opera-
| ton of all public spirited and patriotic
Virginians In making the exhibit one
that would bring to the attention Of the
| outside world. as well as to VirgnianS
| themselves, the wonderful resources OF
our State.
TO use plain English, the commissions
| ers have not received, nor will they re-
| ceive. single dime for their services,
and II those who have complained OF the
work done by the commissioners will
| give e-tneth OF the time which has
already been given by these gentlemen
to the State, we will have the most
creditable exhibit made by any State in
the Union.
At the first meeting OF tho commits
sioners after their appointment by the
Governor, they selected w. w. Baker.
of Chesterfield, as one OF the assistants.
Mr. Baker accepted the position condi-
tionaly, that he would render any as
sistance which would not materially In
terfere with his own private business,
and with the distinct understanding that
he would receive no salary for any SER
vices rendered
At the second meeting OF the commits
| sion Mr.. George L. Murrell. Of Bedford,
was appointed superintendent Of the
| State exhibit. with authority from the
commission to at once begin the work
of arranging for the collection OF the
same, and inasmuch as 1t would neces-
state Mr.. Murrells abandonment OF his
| own business and private interests, and
| in view Of his especial qualifications for
the work, the commission have arrangs|
to pay him what was considered fair
salary for his services.
| The commission also arranged that
Mr.. Murrell should have authority to
| employ assistants In the work OF coll
lecting the exhibits from the various
sections Of tile State, paying therefor
reasonable compensation for work hctu.
ally done Up to this time Mr.. Murrell
has only employed two assistants for
about two weeks time, and will only pay
for the time actually employed
| In consequence Of tho immense cores
| pondence, the commission allowed Mr.
| Murreu to employ the services OF a lady
| stenogra pher to assist in the work OF his
office. which Is located in the city OF
! Richmond. This young lady. who Is tho
roughly qualified. attends to all the cor
rcspondence Of the Office. not only While
| Mr. Murrell is present. but whenever he
| may be absent attending to the outside
| work OF supervising the collection OF tho
| exhibit.
On the occasion OF the dedication OF the
| Fair at st. Louis. q number OF public
| spirited virgininns, who had made st.
| Louis their home. met the Virginia conf
| mission and urged that State building
| be erected upon the grounds that had
| been assigned to Virginia. When they
were told that no appropriation had been
made for that purpose. and that such
| building could only be erected by private
subscription. they promised that they
would aid In the work OF securing pr-
| vate subscriptions in st. Louis from Vir-
| ginians located there to erect a build
| ing in which Virginians and their friends
| can meet together while they are attend
| Ing the fair at st. Louis. When the COM
| mission returned to Richmond. they held
meeting for the purpose OF devisng
means to raise. Il possible. the sum OF.
| $4,000 by private subscriptions. TO enas-e
| them to reproduce the home OF Thomas
jefferson. Monticello" and X that
! amount could not be gotten, then to ar
i
| Several plans were suggested. and some
| OF our most liberal and public-spirited
| citizens consulted, as to the best method
| TO be adopted to secure the necessary
| amount, after which II was finally agreed.
| that the object in view could be best So
! cured, by putting a man in the field for
| the purpose of soliciting subscriptions.
| and Captain T. c. Morton, OF Staunton.
| Wa selected for that purpose by the
I 49,, 1nTl CO q
! to be paid out of the contri-
buttons secured and not from the APP
| preparation made BY the State for the
| exhibit.
It is but fair to state. that when the
| matter of putting UP State building
| was first discussed by the commission,
| that the necessity for such building
was so apparent, that Colonel Bowman
and Mr.. W. w. Baker. each pledged 20
! contribute the sum Of 500 towards state
building Notwithstanding the fact that
they were also giving their time aud
| thought to the work of getting up
| state exhibit without any compensation
whatever. either from the State or any
| other source.
If all the other newspapers In the State
| had manifested the same interest IN the
work that has been shown by The Times
| Disatch, we are sure that every effort of
| the commission would have been eminent
ly successful.
When the matter came to Che attention
Of Mr. Joseph Bryan. as to the best man
| ner Of bringing the work before the peo-
| pie Of the State, Mr.. Bryan stated to the
| commission that his newspaper was at
their disposal to publish whatever they
| might deem best to successfully advertise
the work and bring to the attention OF
! the people the part they are expected TO
take in making the Virginia exhibit sue
| cess Mr.. Bryan at the Same time gen
| erously offered TO tho commission, with
| out any charge, two offices In The Times
Dispatch building for their use In the
prosecution OF this work,
Now 1t appears to me, that instead Of
persons through the medium OF the news
papers, criticising the commission as to
| the injudiclous expenditure of the States
money for large salaries" it would be
more patriotic to give little Of their
time In aiding to get up creditable
exhibit Of Virginia's resources. Any ono
disposed to work in this matter, Will be
| paid as literally as the members of the