Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-25
STATE BOOSTS CORN SHOW
Towns and Cities of Nebraska Hold
Up 0maha's Hands.
NEWSPAPERS DOING GOOD WORK
Grand Island Independent shows
where IL Is Foolish to Criticize
Omaha for Landing the
Exposition.

Towns and cities all over Nebraska are
congratulating Omaha business men on Sc
curing the National Corn exhibition for
1903 and the newspapers which give Omaha
credit for doing a great deal for the state
emphasize the fact that the efforts Of the
metropolis are appreciated. Besides ahe
endorsement of the Nebraska Press asso-
%ciation, Nebraska Association Of Com
mercial clubs and numerous other organ
cations OF Importance. Assistant General
Manager w. o. Paisley is receiving let
tiers and editorial expressions which con-
urm the belief that the dates selected are
the best for the show.
Two W in the state, represented by two
members of the same family, are known to
have filed objections to having the Ma
tlonal Corn exhibition held in December.
Ihey started to protest, but the papers
coming In from the state to the corn show
offices bear out the opinion CT the manage
ment, that the percentages is very small
against the December date.
Good View of the Case.
The following from the Grand Island
Island Independent is typical of the way
In which Nebraska editors seem to feel
about the big corn show being held in
Omaha:
There are evidences that in some sections
OF the state there is a disposition to quite
severely %criticise the business men Of
Omaha for securing the National Corn ex-
position. The ground OF the criticism
seems to be that people who go to Omaha
be entertained and instructed by the ex-
portion may do shopping on the side to
me detriment of the retail merchants Of
the smaller cities. And 1t is charged that
this Is the purpose of Omaha In trying to
secure the exposition permanently.
That Is not only a narrow, but decidedly
unjust view. The fact that the exposition
comes very shortly before the holidays,
corn having a habit to ripen only a few
months before that time, acCentuates the
feeling perhaps, though it has no justifi-
cation. And, Furthermore, the critics of the
exposition entirely overlook another matter
of vastly more Importance. At the meeting
OF the Nebraska Press association held in
this city a few weeks ago the editors of
the state unanimously passed a resolution
endorsing the exposition and declaring II
to be their intention to do all in their
power to increase the yield OF corn by five
bushels per acre. And there can be little
question that this enrichment of the whole
state, Indeed OF the several states about
II, was Omaha's purpose as well as II is
the purpose of the leading corn growers
and business men behind this splendid
proposition. Nor should it fail upon one
class of citizens, we believe, to take hold
of the corn exposition rope and pull II
through. Every citizen has a direct inter
est in It. We add millions of dollars to the
pIOuuCliOn OI tue state II we secure a bet
ter grade of and a larger quantity Of corn
from the same acre. Think of the benefit
this will be to every community
with all the evidences of Omaha's enter
| prise and energy In securing this eXposi-
ton for Nebraska, it is unjust to attribute
such motives to her. Just so long as this
main purpose of the exposition is not en-
tirely fulfilled and accomplished, and i'm
provement and expansion of general in
dustry is not replaced b. absorption, Omaha
is entitled to praise rather than criticism
and, above all, TO help rather than to
harassment. Let Nebraskans stand up fol-
Nebraska. Kansas City would have Sc.
cured the exposition but for Omaha's ef.
forts and Kansas would have received the
benefit instead of Nebraska. Kansas farm
lands, Kansas corn growings, and Kansas
this and Kansas that would have beer
exploited over the entire world. rather thar
| NebraskG's resources or those of the en-
tire corn belt.
Possibly a few people will do some trad
ing when they go down to learn more o
the best process of corn culture; but vii
they not do so at all events? And Is tina
little trading really worthy of mention a
all in contemplation of so great a worl
and so worthy an effort? AS al educa
tional factor, as a source OF Inspiration Il
the present and future generation Of farm
ers In this state-farmers to whom we mus
still look as providing the foundation o
prosperity-the corn exposition is the hes
thing that was ever secured for Nebrask;
and Omaha is dealt with u~njustly ant
stormed against for bringing II so near t
Nebraska'S farms.