The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-07
SHOULD SPRUCEUP
Showing at Pacific Fairs Not a
Credit to State.
Some Plain Statements Made by
Charlie Mitchell.
NO COMFORTS FOR VISITORS
No Literature to Hand Out Like
Others Have.
Small Appropriation Hindered
Commission i'm Charge.
NO COMFORTS FOR VISITORS
CBy Charles L. Mitchell.)


We, as Kansans, haven't any reason
to be proud of the exhibit we are max
ing at the National and International
Exhibitions in California. 1t is rot up
about the inside factS') to criticize
the Commission, for we know that
they have been Handicapped by having
their appropriations cut down, and
they have undoubtedly done the best
they could with the amount of money
which they had to do with, but the re-
suit produced is something that every
Kansan is interested. AS Kansans,
they have a perfect right to criticize
the exhibition from this state, by
which our state will be judged by the
thousands of visitors from all over the
country, and in fact, from all over the
world, especially when compared with
the showing made by other states.
Our building at San Francisco is
next to the fartheSt one away from the
main exhibition buildings, and while
the building presents a very attractive
appearance from the outside, yet the
inside appearance shows the very de-
cided lack of funds to furnish it as
building of its architecture should be
furnished. What furniture we have in
our building there is exceptionally good
but there is a decided shortage in the
number of pieces necessary to make
the building appear attractive and
comfortable.
Some of the rooms in our building
are not furnished at all, and people
going through the building can look
into them There isn't a single thing
in the building to remind one of kan
sas, with the exception of the few files
of the Kansas papers.
No Place for Women.
Most of the buildings have provided
a ladies' rest room. There isn't any
such equipment as that in the Kansas
building, though. There are two large
davenports which are in the main part
of the building, but no place provided
for the women to rest in a room by
themselves. The day we called there
were two women lying on these daven-
ports in the main room where they
were in plain view of everyone enter
ing. and 1t was apparent that they
were exhausted from sightseeing, and
there was no place else for them to
rest.
Most of the state buildings have pro-
viGed small kitchens and a tea ser
vice so they can serve tea to the ladies
calling, and in other ways make them
feel ''at home" Nothing like this in
the Kansas building.
There is but one picture in the
whole building, and that a small pie
ture of Governor Arthur Capper,
which the hostess wrote and asked
him for. 1t strikes me that number
of the valuable portraits of our Kan
sas men of national and international
reputation, such as ingalls,, Ware and
others of equal prominence. could
easily be spared from our State His
torial Society in an effort to adorn the
walls with the likenesses of these men
whom the whole world know so much
about, and of whom we as Kansans are
justly proud.
In addition to the lack of furniture
there were no draperies at two of the
front windows, on account of provi-
sion not being made for the space
taken between stairs from the main
floor to the balcony. giving an unfin-
ished appearance.
The hostess told US that she found
herself surrounded by most hospit-
able entertainers. and that she, as the
Kansas representativ tive, was invited to
many functions given by the different