The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-20
UNCLE SAM, ANGEL
TO WORLDS FAIRS
s-sz-. ~. ..<f--.l4 .&
Millions Cheerfully Expended on
the Proposition That It
49,. Pays. i,

Uncle Sam has been playing the role
of what in stageland would be called
the s'angel.' He has been the. fnan-
cial backer Of all the great industrial
shows held in the country, and it has
cost him a pretty penny to do it. In
response to resolution OF the senate,
the secretary of the treasury has pre-
pared a. statement of all money appro-
priated by congress from the beginning
Of the government to, the present time
in aid Of expositions or fairs, both in
ternational and local. The total
amounts to $26,7S8, 1925, of which
$4,600,0O0 was repaid to the govern
ment, making the net sum spent in this
manner $22, l8S,752.85.
The most expensive venture in this
line that the United States has taken
stock in was the St. Louis fair. For
this show the general government APP
propriated a total of $l1,179,0O0, and
50 100000 of this was repaid, making
the net sum contributed to the success
of this exposition $6,579,0O0, or nearly
ST. 100000 more than the government
spent on the Chicago fair in 1898. 1t
will be remembered that congress made
the St. Louis fair management pres
ent outright Of tt$5, 900, 900 in cold Gosh,
the only RESTRICTION, being that it must
=, be expended ur'ler the eye Of the ma
| tional commissidn. 49,
Then the government buildings, the
government exhibit, the hfe-saving ex-
hibit, the Indian, agricultural, Alaska
| the expenditure of $1,473,000 in addi-
! ton and sundry other appropriations
made up the balance. It was a good
show, but it came high. - ..s
Liberality Invites More Fairs.
The world s fair in Chicago cost the
and at the time there was so much
government altogether $3.50, 329.64
criticism over government appropria-
tions for this purpose that it was sort
of generally agreed in the house of rep
resentatives that this was to be the
last big show in which Uncle Sam
should pose as the 'angel.O However
that resolution was forgotten when the
st. Louis fair came along and asked
for help, and, as shown above, helr
was extended literally. Last year il
was again stated on the floor of the
house by prominent members who voted
grudgingly to lend the exposition man
agement $4,600,000, that this must enc
the business of substituting industrial
expositions. The drain was becoming
too heavy, but the loan was repaid a.
promised and already congress ha.
voted $475,000 for the Lewis and Clarl
exposition at Portland next year. o.
this sum, $25O,O00 is to be spent OF
government buildings 100000 on al
exhibit and $4,000 for an Alaska ex
hibit.
And, moreover, there is another ez
position planned for Jamestown, Va
, in 1907, and congress has been aske
to make an appropriation for it. Their
! is little doubt but that this will b
done. Hence the end is not vet i
= sight and it will probably not be lon
: until there are other applicants knocl
: ing at the door of the national treasur
v and demanding aid, leaving. out of col
!. sideration the merits Of these expos
+ tions and without discussion Of th
f good that they accomplish, the fact
d being forced upon congress that til
r general government cannot continue i
r liberal policy of financing these bi
shows. The more liberal Uncle Sa,
has been in this respect, the more {
these fairs have been encouraged an
brought forward by that policy. The
are all losing enterprises from q fina!
4 cial standpoint, and it has come to
the custom to look to the governme1
to make good the deficiency.
. Government Started in Show Bushes
e Congress began these contribution
r with an appropriation Of $4,000 for 2
n exhibit at the London exposition
e 1862. This, according to the record
: is the first case where the governmel
f went into the show business and in tn
Y. instance it was merely matter OF bu
d ing reserved seat. But from that Il
custom Of government subsidy b
grown until Uncle Sam has become tt
greatest g angel in the show busine
and the one always looked to for t.
r. funds to make up the deficit. Ne
IN after London came the Paris expos
lg tion of 1867, and there the Unit
g States became a boxholder instead
#, being content to occupy reserv
tyl seat. That show cost us !$212,603. Sin
tx then we have participated In thr
so other Paris expositions. One in lSl
es costing us 100000. one in 1889, relic
he ing us of $250,004.66, while for the Ia
one in 1900 congress appropriated
total Of $l,472,500. The latest contrib
"A tion to a foreign show is that provld
for in an act passed last April, app
priating $4,000 for an exposition
Liege, Belgium.
In 1883 it cost us $28,380.96 to ps
ticipate in fair at Barcelona, Spa
and the same year we paid an entran
4 fee Of $35 200 to get into show of t
u same kind at Brussels. Other forei
expositions in which we have parti
s pated and the amounts that it cost II
= government are as follows: Beret
. 1898. $4,000; Berlin: 1880, 5000
81 London, 1883, $4,000; Madrid, Is!