Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-06-17
NORTH DAKOTA AT THE FAIR
Governor Bartlett Works: Hard to Present
81 Creditable Showing Of the Resources
of the Great Wheat State.

The North Dakota exhibit at the
Worlds Fair at st. Louis is mainly in
the agricultural building, the state be-
ing largely devoted to agricultural in
terests and It being fitting that Its
principal exhibit should be in the agri-
cultural building. There is also am
exhibit of coal, clay, pottery and other
products of mines in the mining build
ing, not quite complete yet, for the
reason that it's arrival was delayed
and it is not possible to do all that
would be done in a hurry. In due
time, no doubt, North Dakota will
have a creditable mining and mineral
exhibit in the mines building. OF the
agricultural display, much has been
written in the press Of the state, some
of it favorable. some of it in an evil
dent spirit Of criticism that hardly
seems justified under the circum-
stances. One of the principal COM
plants that has been made is that
North Dakota has no state building,
such as have been erected by many
of the other states. It is we'll to state
in passing that a state building is
largely to serve the purpose Of a. club
for visitors from the state by which
the building has been erected. 1t is
place where they may rest, write
letters read home papers and other
wise enjoy themselves when resting
from sightseeing. Some of the COM
missioners from states which have
erected buildings say that state build
ings are also nuisances. 1t is said
visitors from the 'Sold home" expect
to- be wined, dined, entertained and
otherwise disported at state expense.
The state buildings at st. Louis are
many Of them elaborate appearing
structures costing many times what
North Dal1ota's entire appropriation
aggregated. When erected by states
that have millions to spend where
North Dakota has dollars, they are
luxurious provisions made for the en-
tertainment of state guests at the
fair. Every few nights some state
building opens it's doors, bowers itself
with flowers and gives reception at
a cost of hundreds and not infrequent-
ly thousands of dollars. It is doubt
full if such expenditures would be ap-
proved by the agricultural population
of North Dakota, who are more inter-
tesed in the fitting display Of North
Dakota products than in the whirl Of
social life, even if there is some COM
plaint on the part of visitors to the
fair that enough has not been done
to contribute to their social enjoy
ment.
The average sight-seer at st. Louis
will be there for the purpose of see-
ing sights, and 1t will probably not
concern him greatly If he is not in the
social swim for the time being. State
buildings are not sought for the pur-
pose of sight seeing and instruction.
While it would be nice thing, If the
state could AFFORD it, to have preten-
tious and elaborate state building, 1t
is probable that the verdict of the
state will be in the end that state
building would have been am unwise
expenditure of funds and that North
Dakota will have profited more by ex-
pending dts appropriation for the pur-
pose of exhibits solely.
The North Dakota booth, and this
statement is made without fear Of fair
contradiction, is one of the novel and
attractive ones in the agricultural
buildings. Within a building Of Fl
acres in extent, filled with products
from all parts of the country, where
| the ingenuity of the shrewdest and
wisest artists has been exerted for
novelty and attractiveness, it is not
to be expected that any one state dis
play will overpower the sightseer.
Come from a tour of the grounds and
the buildings after a few days of look
ing and marvels look commonplace.
After you have been at the fair for
two or three days 1t would take some
thing like an earthquake shock or a
volcanic eruption to get an exclama-
tion out Of the visitor, pro.or con.
North Dakota has a desirable space
about the middle of the building. It's
booth is an enclosure Of pillars and
ratings. The pillars are OF plate
glass, hollow, and filled with wheat,
corn, barley, rye, oats, fax and the
various grains for which the state has
made it's reputation as an agricultural
state. These pillars alternate be
tween large and small ones, bringing
out the harmony OF the design. They
are surmDnnted with an ARTISTIC corn
q. II 49,