The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-09-01
At ST. Louis.
North Carolina Makes a Poor Show.
MR.. GUTHRIE'S CRITICISM.

Charlotte Observer.
To the Editor of The Observer:
l have been to the St. Louis Exposi
tton, and short letter as to what
saw, and what l didn't see, might pos.
slbly interest your Moth Carollna
readers. 1t is great exposition Of
mammoth proportions. as to exhibits,
buildings. grounds and environment
The Centennial at Philadelphia and
the Atlanta Exposition, both of which
| attended, taken as whole and sing.
ly, dwindle into inslgnificance in COM
parison with the grandeur and great
ness OF the ST. Louis EXPOSITION. At
a rough estimate I think all the ex-
hibits at Atlanta might be put into
the Agricultural Building alone at
st. Louis, and then leave room to
spare. Suffice it to say, no pen can
describe the magnifcence OF the St..
Louis Exposition in all its component
parts and surroundings. But it is
more particularly OF North Carolina
and her exhibits at st. Louis would
speak, and speak, too, width deep hu-
mility and mortified State pride. To
her shame be 1t said, North Carolina
cuts sorry figure at the St. Louis Ex.
position. In this she fully illustrates
her MOTTO, "Esse Guam Vederi," for
the display Of her products and indus
tries at St. Louis, would seem to lnci-
cate that she has but little: II any thing,
worthy to he seen by people from
other States and countries. When the
Governor sent his hat around among
the people few months ago soliciting
private contributions to enable the
State to make something of an exhibi-
ton at st. Louis, 1 Clipped in my lit
tie mite for that purpose, but since
have seen it On exhibition, l would
freely double. even qucdruple, my own
to take it away. What I
saw at St. Louis actually belittleS the
State in the estimation of intelligent
people.
FAIR DISPLAY OF MINERALS.
/ confess that IN the Palace OF Mines
and Metallurgy, owing doubtless to the
efforts of DR.. Holmes, or somebody
else, the State has fairly good display
OF her mineral products. But We
North Carollnians know that our State
is not ranked among the mining States
of the Union, and probably never can
be. Our State is in the main an agri-
cultural State, aud growing now to be
a manufacturing State. You would
therefore naturally 60 to the Agricul-
tural Building at St. Louis for the best
display of North Carolina products. l
went to the Agricultural Building.
After diligent search 1 found the
North Carolina State agricultural ex-
hibit. I saw it, and l went away-
iisgusted. 1t might do credit to some
county iair-nothlng more
It occupies a position Immediately ad-
olring the splendid exhibit OF the
State of Minnesota, and is separated |
rom it by a high partition wall
lcross the aisle from it is the magnifi-
,ent exhibit of :he State of Nebraska,
md on one side of it across another
isle is the splendid exhibit of Missouri.
When saw our so-called North Caro-
ina State exhibit In the Agricultural
B 1ildIng, it was about IL O'Clock in
he morning and nobody seemed to be
n charge OF it. If anybody had it in
charge he seemed to have been asham-
ID OF it and had run away from 1t.
aw a painter on a high step-ladder
something like the picture of
n experimental farm on the division
vail above mentioned and / noticed a
one negro woman standing in the
pen field, and by the side OF 1t l also
'oticed the painter was painting an
unfinished companion tablet OF the
Southern Pines," and some fertilizer
tatistics, which, with my limited
of agriculture, l didn't un-
erstand.
APoOR EXHIBIT.
In the State agricultural exhibit l
id see some long glass tubes about
wo or three inches In diameter filled
nth grain, such as wheat, etc., and l
aw some show cases, such as are used
n an ordinary candy shop, in the bot
ON of which were spread few cotton
eed, and few samples of manufacture
d white cloth with small cards of the
manufacturers on them; l also saw
like an anchor made of lint
otton displayed against the above
mentioned division wall. But did
90 in glass case, attached to the
bove mentioned division wall very
inc, but small, exhibit Of bed.blankets
by the Chatham Manu-
acturing Company, of Elkin. l was
t loss to conjecture why this partic-
ar exhibit ct the Elkin company