Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1909-06-04

the participation of the National
government, the states and foreign
governments.
Whatever blame may be due for
the failure i'm the business manage
ment is not chargeable To him. AS
Judge Mann charges that the eNposi-
tion failed, il may be we'll TO state
some facts in behalf of the real man
agement.
The failure of the exposition TO be
completed at the opening date was
primarily due to the delay i'm the
passage of government appropriations
which were in every case held back
through the opposition i'm the House
of Representatives and others until
the close OF the sessions. The bill pro-
viuing for the creation of the govern
ment pier and for government aid to
the exposition, introduced in Dee,
1905, did not pass until June 80, 1906.
Contracts for the performance of work
for which the government appropria-
tion was Intended were not
given until so late i'm season of 1906
that the severe winter and long,
rainy spring delayed the performance
and resulted in the incomplete condi-
tion of the grounds and buildings on
opening day.
1t is true that n director general
was elected after the opening by the
directors but the movement To re-
create that office was inaugurated by
the board of governors, who believed
that one man could expedite the
work more rapidly than board of
seven. In fact the Board of Gov
ernors, before the opening date,
rendered the position TO Mr.. w. /.
Buchanan, formerly director general
of the Buffalo exposition. Ii was de-
clined by him because he had been
appointed commissioner TO the Hague
Peace Conference.
subsequently the directors with
the concurrence of the Board of gov
reors, elected director genearl. The
object was TO concentrate the bust
ness management of the Exposition,
and the action had no relation To the
functions or duties of the president.
While the exposition was not the
financial success which twas hopedit
would be-, that is due TO the failure
of attendance, only about one million
six hundred thousandhaving passeC
through the gat9s when il was eX'
pected that about five millions woul,
do so. This failure of Attendance was
undoubtedly due To adverse advertise
ment of the incOmpleteness of th,
exposition resulting fIom the condi
ton on opening day. Visitors could
, not distinguish which was the worl
of the government, which the Worl
OF the exposition company, or whicl
: the work of the states, for several q
the state buildings were incomplete
and were surrounded by scafroldings,
and all incompleteness was charged
TO the company.
AS an instance OF foresight, this eX.
: position management, instead of leas
ing the site, rs other expeditions ii
= |
= Site so that large part OF the eXPen
! ditures for street Improvements, waite
= sewer and gas pipes and building
have been preserved ana now repre-
sent property of great value, whic
il is entirely within the range of pos
sibility may be disposed of SO as L
G pay the debts of the exposition. 1t
4 true that under orders of the United
h States Court suits have been institut
( ed against delinquent stockholders
d whose delinquency kepled TO increaS
e the embarrassment of the eXpositiO
e company during the period of COZ
IS struction and, since then, TO postpon
d the payment of its debts.
n While the expo s tion did not prov
n the financial success that il wa
e hoped il would, there can be M
& doubt that the state of Virginia II
IL ceived such an advertisement OF /
rs resources assembled there as man
lie ii nes to repay the expenditure whiC
is was made by the state; and viii
l. some who went into speculative ei
S terprises fail TO profit, there can
OF no doubt of The fact that very lar,
er amount of money was expended
o. visitors to the exposition and tn
great benefit has accrued to the stat
pc This is evidenced locally by the ia
" that there has never been such exte
10 sive buildings of all kinds in No
X folk and its vicinity as there W;
n during the year Immediately succee
h. ing the exposition, and which h
n continued 10 the present time.
n 1t cannot be charged that the e
he position was failure. AS an artist
tie creation it was, when completed, O
"a of the most beautiful eXpositio
on that has been held in this COUNT
TX and it Was the most gigantic und