Summer Meeting. !*7 



to know how best to do it and Ave do not want to make any blunder in 

 this matter. 



Om- medals are at last in onr hands. Only the other day were they 

 secured from Jefferson City and taken to Kansas City, there to be en- 

 graved and are now ready for distribution. I have them here and shall 

 send them from this meeting to the proper owners. The delay has been 

 caused because our commissioner thought best to have them on exhibi- 

 tion at Jefferson City while the legislature was in session. The wonder- 

 ful awards gained by Missouri at Omaha are beginning already to bear 

 fruit in the hundreds of people daily looking for homes among us. I 

 think that these exhibitions bring our state into prominence and are the 

 means of bringing more people to our state than most people realize. 



This brings to our notice at this time other opportunities in this 

 same direction. At Detroit in 1900, Buffalo, 1901, St. Louis, 1903, we 

 must again make this same effort to let the people see what we are doing 

 and can do. The St. Louis Exposition also are to-day asking us to make 

 the display in their building this fall. It means lots of work and loit-of 

 time spent if we do so. 



Our report has been published and sent out somewhat earlier than 

 usual and has been well received. Never a day passes but that we have 

 to mail a number of them, and often calls are made for back years' reports 

 or a file of them as far back as we can supply. 



We are glad that we have so many efficient workers and willing- 

 helpers in all we have to do and that this work is growing in such a 

 remarkable way. These reports show to the outside world that we are 

 alive and at work and know what to do. 



The appropriation for the next two years will be the same as the 

 last, thanks to the timely visit of some of our workers just at the right 

 time. Our legislature in its cutting off expense accounts sought to cur- 

 tail our printing bill, but when the matter was explained to the appropri- 

 ation committee they at once restored the original amount so that we 

 may have our usual 4,000 copies at least. 



The transportation problem is an ever present one before us, and 

 the proper distribution of our fruits must be finally determined before we 



H — 7 



