Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-21
SEE IOWA BUILDING
NEWSPAPER MEN GUESTS OF
IOWA COMMISSIONERS.
FRANCIS PRAISES HAWKEYE STATE
President of Louisiana Purchase Expo
sition Tells of Part Iowa and Iowans
Have Taken in Preparation for Big
Fair-Return Home.

|; rave AIKEN IN preparation Tor Big
Fair-Return Home.
After three days Of sight seeing
about the grounds of the Louisiana
Purchase exposition and visiting many
places of interest in St. Louis the men,
bers of the Southwestern Iowa
Editorial association reached AL.
bia yesterday morning over the
Wabash railroad and during
the day left for their homes. This ex.
cursion, which followed the semi. an
nual meeting of the association at AL.
bia last Thursday, was most success
full one. 1t gave to the editors of
southern Iowa an opportunity Of gain
ing more comprehensive idea of the
magnitude of the undertaking that is
to be consummated In probably the
greatest international fair ever held.
The excursionists arrived in st.
Louis during the forenoon of Friday
and the remainder of that day and the
following was spent in visiting the
worlds fair grounds, with luncheons
given by the officers of the exposition
and the Iowa commissioners. These
visits to the grounds were most inter-
esting and the members of the associa-
ton unanimously gave expression of
their appreciation of the cordial recep-
ton and the elaborate entertainment.
One Of the most noticeable things in
driving over the grounds and visiting
the various buildings was the Iowa
building. Only one glance is needed at
this structure, that is to be the head
| quarters of the Iowa people during the
exposition, to demonstrate that the
Iowa worlds fair commissioners have
| most faithfully served the people of the
state. The Iowa buil6ing is well 10.
Gated at the end of a long driveway and
green sward and is to be seen at great
| advantage among the buildings OF
| Kansas, New York, Illinois and Others
that line either side of the driveway.
It is structure that will most credi.
| tably represent the large and varied
interests of the great Hawkeye state.
At the Iowa Building.
| At noon on Saturday the Iowans
gathered at the Planters hotel and
were taken by special cars to the Iowa
building when they were the guests OF
| the Iowa commissioners. Among the
guests OF honor at the luncheon. given
| in the west room of the building were
President Francis, Secretary w. B
Stevens, Mark Bennett of the press anG
publicity department, w. ]. MCGEE
chief of anthropology, F. w. Lehman
chairman of the international con
| crosses.
President Francis Speaks.
! After an elaborate luncheon w. W
Wilmer one of Iowa's commissioner.
as POSTMASTER, introduced Presiden
Francis, who in brief address pait
a glowing tribute to Iowa for the par
| it has already taken in the prepare
ton of the worlds fair. He said il
part:
4 II should be untrue to my own feel
/ ings and unjust to the people of Iowa
4 if did not at this time take occasion
to express my own appreciation ant
that of the exposition management fol
the part that state has taken in the
building up of the exposition.
i Has No Superior.
4 Iowa part of the Louisiana Pur
chase, has no superior in any equa
area in that entire territory. First il
agriculture she holds foremost plac,
in the affairs of the nation. Thu
far in the preparation for the eXposi
ton Iowa has taken a leading part
Iowa was the first state to complies
the construction of its building an,
Iowa is the first state to extend it
hospitality to the management OF thu
exposition in its own building.
Magnitude of the Fair.
"The magnitude of this exposition
is surprising even to it's originator
and in it all Iowa has played mos
; important part. 1t was an lowan
then, Lieutenant-Governor Milliman
who presided over the convention Q
delegates from the states of the Louis
lana territory that first considered tn
,, proposition of an exposition to cele
, brate the purchase of that territory
1t was an Iowa man, Congressma
Lane, who introduced bill into cor
gress regarding the exposition. A
chairman of the committee on appro
priation and it was still another low
man. Senator Allison, who secured tn
federal appropriation and it was sti
another Iowa man, Secretary Shaw
who approved the expenditure of thi
$10,000,000
Iowa Appreciative.
Iowa was one of the first states t
appreciate the value of this expositio
and its legislature speedily authori.
ed an appropriation of $125,000 for us
: in providing proper representation fo
the first state of that vast territor.
J. Therefore. it is with sincere gratitud
' that ! recall Iowa's part in this grea
3 movement. Your presence here q
y this time and your interest but man
|, tests the interest Iowa and Iowan
. may be expected to take during tn