The National tribune., 1907-10-31

The Government is at fault in net
completing its pier" continued Mr. May
nard. This pier cost S450.000. 1t was
originally intended as the principal fea-
ture of the Exposition, and was to have
been ready when the Fair opened. In
stead it was not finished until Septem-
Der. Had 1t been ready at first. the
place would not have had the unfin-
ished appearance it did have, and the
Government would not have lost the
money it probab bly, will now lose.
"Out of the loan of s1.000,00 which
was secured only by q lien on the gate
receipts. the United States will prob
ably receive 100000. The attendance
does not justify prophecy that more
than this may be paid. I have not
heard any talk of continuing the Ex-
position during next Summer. but
have heard it suggested by prominent
naval officers that the Federal Govern
ment should purchase from the Expo
sition Company the land on which the
Exposition stands, and the pier, so that
it may use the place as 2 naval coaling
station. If the land is worth $4,000. 900
the Exposition Company would prob
ably consent 10 have the amount of the
loan applied on the payment. If neces-
sary. the land could be condemned. and
purchased at the valuation thus as
SeSsed. In that case the same cOndi-
tions would apply. The amount received
by the company. above the loan. would
probably straighten out its affairs.
Tho the Government may have lost
money on the loan, the money has been
we'll spent, for the reason that the Ex-
position has helped the people of the
eastern South. I think that hereafter
the money extended to Expositions
should be made gift and not loan"
1t will be next thing to impossible to
get those people down there to realize
that one of the principal things that
hurt the Exposition in the opening days
was the Haunting of the rebel colors in
the faces of people who feel that there
is but one flag in this country, and that
flag is Old Glory. This writer went into
a postal card place on opening day
down there. and asked for postal cards
with the flag on, collecting such cards
being a particular fad, and innocently
believing that there was but one flag.
The smiling young lady who wore
jeweled rebel flag pin tossed out a hand
full of rebel flag postals, half dozen
Styles in fact 81 asked for the flag
I protested. THAT is the only flag We
recognize down here" she replied
haughtily. and this to woman who
was wearing a flag at the time: The
conversation after that was not of q
character to adorn the pages of The
National Tribune, as it isn't printed on
asbestos. But the writer didn't buy the
rebel cards, and the young lady was
not smiling when the incident closed.
The rebel flags pretty we'll disappeared
in a few days, but the damage was
done.
Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson has
divided the irrigation and drainage in
vestigations of the Office of Experiment
Stations into two sections, and pro-
NOTED Dr. Samuel Fortier, irrigation en-
gineer, stationed at Berkeley. Cal. to
be Chief of Irrigation Investigations.
and c. G. Elliott. Chief Drainage Engi-
neer to be Chief of Drainage Investiga-
tons
AS the result of the construction Of
irrigation works by the Government
and private parties 1t IS expected that
5000. 900 acres of land in the West will
be opened to settlement in 1908. The
Office of Experiment Stations will make
a special effort to aid settlers in adopt
ing the most economical and effective
methods of irrigation. It has made
plans for the drainage of 100000
acres. principally In States east of the
Mississippi, during the last year.
Nearly every State which sends a
prominent politician to Washington
tbaca 1ayo 10 ranOrfad IN have q "fayOr-