Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission Part 16

It is far from the intention of the Commission to interfere with the operation of any of your own matured plans; but it is respectfully submitted that the failure of expected and necessary attendance at the exposition is a matter of such supreme importance as to warrant the employment of every available force connected with this enterprise in the work of calling public attention to the exposition through the press of the whole country, and such other agencies as may be suggested and adopted.

Very respectfully,

Thos. H. CARTER, _President_.

Hon. D.R. FRANCIS, _President Exposition Company, Building_.

The exposition management did not elect to avail itself of the cooperation of the National Commission in the matter of exploitation, but very shortly after the foregoing letter was delivered the advertising department became more active by advertising in the newspapers and by the use of billboards in St. Louis and the adjacent territory.

The National Bill Posters' a.s.sociation, which met in St. Louis about this time, observing the inadequacy of the provision made for advertising, volunteered to cooperate with the Exposition Company by posting bills on their boards free of charge throughout an extensive area.

A cursory examination of reports of the daily attendance will show a very perceptible increase of receipts at the gates in consequence of the effort made about this time to call the attractions of the exposition to the attention of the people. Unhappily the exploitation work thus commenced was practically one year behind time. Undoubtedly the paid attendance at the exposition could have been very largely increased by an efficient system of exploitation initiated one year before the gates were opened and vigorously prosecuted until the close of the exposition.

In order to increase the attendance at the exposition, as well as to increase the revenues of the Exposition Company at certain periods, the National Commission at different times cheerfully approved the modifications of the rules proposed by the Exposition Company authorizing the sale of season tickets, also of special tickets for limited periods, at reduced rates. Such modifications proposed by the Exposition Company were in all instances, except one, approved by the National Commission substantially as proposed; but in one instance the Commission was impelled from a sense of its duty to the Government to decline to approve a rule proposed by the company providing for the sale of special coupon tickets good for 50 admissions to stockholders of the company only.

It is proper to say that prior to the submission to the Commission of the proposed rule, or modification of the rules, announcement had been made in the newspapers of St. Louis that such tickets would be sold by the company, and, in fact, the sale of the proposed tickets had already begun.

The following letter contains the proposal of the company to authorize the sale of such special tickets to stockholders only:

MAY 18, 1904.

DEAR SIR: I am directed by the executive committee of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company to inform the National Commission that the committee has approved the following resolution:

_Resolved_, That a ticket, photographic, nontransferable, having 50 coupons good for admission at any time during the World's Fair shall be sold to stockholders at the rate of $12.50; this privilege to continue to and including June 15, to be open to all who shall be stockholders up to and including that day.

I am directed by the executive committee to ask favorable action upon the resolution by the National Commission.

Respectfully,

WALTER B. STEVENS, _Secretary._

Mr. JOSEPH FLORY, _Secretary National Commission._

It was the opinion of the National Commission that the sale of the proposed tickets to stockholders alone at the reduced price proposed was in the nature of a dividend or pecuniary benefit in which the United States Government could not partic.i.p.ate, and therefore contrary to law; and in view of the fact that the people of the United States had contributed through the Government appropriation for the exposition an amount of money equal to that which had been furnished by the stockholders of the company it seemed to the Commission that no special privilege respecting the purchase of tickets should be given such stockholders that was not given equally to all citizens of the United States.

This view was especially enforced by the consideration that stockholders of the company had subscribed for such stock in the belief that the citizens of the city of St. Louis would reap large local benefits from the holding of the fair in that city, while it was obvious that the other citizens of the United States could not in any degree partic.i.p.ate in such benefits.

The Commission, believing that the sale of special coupon tickets at that time would increase the revenues of the company at a time when such increase seemed to be especially desirable, submitted to the company a modification of the proposed rule, as set forth in the following letter:

MAY 19, 1904.

DEAR SIR: I am directed by the National Commission to inform you that they have had under consideration the resolution contained in your esteemed favor of 18th instant, reading as follows:

"_Resolved_, That a ticket, photographic, nontransferable, having 50 coupons, good for admission at any time during the World's Fair, shall be sold to stockholders at the rate of $12.50; this privilege to continue to and including June 15, and to be open to all who shall be stockholders up to and including that day."

The Commission respectfully declines to approve the resolution as presented, but, being in hearty accord with the laudable purpose of the company to offer inducements tending to insure an extensive sale of admission tickets before the 15th of June, approves that feature of the resolution by modifying the same so as to read as follows:

"There shall be sold to the public up to and including June 15 at $12.50 a photographic, nontransferable ticket with 50 coupons thereunto attached, each good for one admission to the fair at any time prior to August 31."

In the judgment of the Commission the use of the tickets proposed should be restricted by a time limit, inasmuch as a failure to provide such a restriction would be equivalent to a reduction of admissions to 25 cents each. Moreover, limiting the time for use of the tickets, as proposed, would tend to stimulate attendance at the fair during the summer months.

The Commission is not insensible to the natural desire of the Exposition Company to give some privilege to the stockholders who subscribed to the capital stock of the corporation, but, while appreciating the generous motive of the executive committee, the Commission feels constrained to withhold its approval for the reason that approval thereof would, in the judgment of the Commission, violate the letter and spirit of section 20 of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1901, which, in so far as applicable, reads as follows:

"That there shall be repaid into the Treasury of the United States the same proportionate amount of the aid given by the United States as shall be repaid to either the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company or the city of St. Louis."

The proposal to give to stockholders of the Exposition Company tickets of admission good until December 1 at half price confers upon the stock a special privilege not contemplated by the act of Congress, and is apparently in the nature of a dividend or pecuniary benefit in which the United States can not partic.i.p.ate.

I am also directed by the Commission to say that if, in the opinion of the company, the best interests of the fair would be advanced by making the proposed tickets good for the entire time of the fair the Commission would view such action with favor, providing the price of the ticket should be fixed at $15.

Yours, very respectfully, JOSEPH FLORY, _Secretary_.

Mr. WALTER B. STEVENS, _Secretary Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, Building_.

On May 23, 1904, a conference was held between the National Commission and a committee on conference appointed by the Exposition Company. At such conference the National Commission insisted that the proposed special coupon tickets be sold to the public, while the conferees on the part of the company urged the acceptance of the original rule proposed by said company, limiting the sale of stockholders only. Finally, upon the proposal of the conferees of the company, and in order to reach an agreement, the National Commission a.s.sented to a rule whereby the company should be authorized to sell such tickets to its stockholders, also to any person presenting an order from the National Commission therefor, as is set forth in the following copy of the conference agreement:

At a conference between the officers and members of the executive committee of the Exposition Company and members of the National Commission, held at the office of President Francis on Monday, May 23, it was agreed, after a full and free conference, that the disagreement existing between the Exposition Company and the Commission with reference to the sale of 50-coupon, photographic, nontransferable tickets to stockholders of the Exposition Company, at $12.50 each, on or before June 15, such tickets to be good during the period of the fair, was settled by the adoption of the following addition to article 5, to wit:

"That any stockholder of the Exposition Company, or any person presenting an order from the National Commission to the treasurer of the company, may, at any time prior to June 15, purchase for $12.50 one photographic nontransferable ticket with 50 coupons attached, each coupon good for one admission to the fair at any time on or before December 1, 1904."

To which addition to the aforesaid article 5 full a.s.sent was given by the company and the Commission.

D.R. FRANCIS, President, W.H. THOMPSON, Treasurer, FESTUS J. WADE, _Chairman Ways and Means Committee, Committee Representing Louisiana Purchase Exposition Co_.

Thos. H. CARTER, JOHN M. THURSTON, GEO. W. MCBRIDE, PHILIP D. SCOTT, JOHN F. MILLER, FREDERICK A. BETTS, _For the National Commission Louisiana Purchase Exposition_.

The Commission, desiring that the public should have the amplest opportunity to partic.i.p.ate in the purchase of these special tickets at reduced rates, and in order that the knowledge of such privilege should have the widest publicity, addressed and sent to the a.s.sociated Press the following notice:

_To the a.s.sociated Press_:

Some days ago the Exposition Company proposed to issue a nontransferable photographic coupon ticket good for 50 admissions for the sum of $12.50, that amount being half rate.

This proposal was disapproved by the National Commission, because deemed in the nature of a dividend on the stock. The Commission insisted that if the price of tickets was reduced in the manner proposed, they should be presented to the public for sale without preference as to purchasers. As the result of a conference it was agreed that the Exposition Company might sell to its stockholders nontransferable tickets at the rate of $12.50 each for 50 admissions, and that at the same time any person not a stockholder presenting an order from the National Commission to the treasurer of the company would be ent.i.tled to the same privilege. The Commission desires to announce that any person not a stockholder of the Exposition Company may, upon application to the Commission, procure an order on the treasurer of the Exposition Company for the delivery of one of the tickets referred to upon the payment of $12.50. The privilege of purchase can not be exercised after June 15. Applications for orders may be made in person or by letter addressed to the National Commission, Administration Building, St. Louis. Payment for tickets to be made to William H. Thompson, treasurer, Laclede Building, St. Louis.

JOSEPH FLORY, _Secretary_.

The sale of these tickets was larger than had been expected either by the company or the Commission, and that it was satisfactory to the company was indicated by its proposal, under date of June 7, 1904, to extend the sale of such tickets from June 15 to and including July 1, the price being increased to $15. This proposal was promptly approved by the National Commission, and the sale resulted in materially increasing the revenues of the Exposition Company.

JURORS AND AWARDS.

It will be perceived that rules and regulations governing the appointment of jurors and the awarding of premiums were presented by the company and adopted by the company and adopted by the Commission on May 2, 1903. These rules required that the nominations of all proposed jurors be submitted to the Commission on or before August 1, 1904.

Believing that the approval of the jurors by the Commission should not be merely perfunctory, but that the nominations should be scrutinized with care before approval, the Commission, on the 18th day of May, 1904, addressed the Exposition Company the following self-explanatory communication:

ST. LOUIS, _May 19, 1904_.

Hon. D.R. FRANCIS, _President Exposition Company_.

MY DEAR SIR: Inasmuch as objections may be urged to the appointment of certain persons upon juries of awards, it is the intention of the National Commission to give public notice, allowing reasonable time for the filing of any objections that may be offered to the appointment of any individual on the jury.

As this proceeding will necessarily consume time, it is desirable that the names of persons proposed for the respective juries be transmitted to the Commission from time to time as the respective groups are completed by the company. It is believed that final action can be reached in a more orderly and satisfactory manner by taking up the names proposed for each jury separately rather than to have the entire members.h.i.+p of all the juries submitted for consideration simultaneously.