APPENDIX V. 



Report on tiik Exhibit of the National Museum at the South 

 Carolina, Interstate and AV est Indian Exposition. Chaiiles- 

 TON, 1901-2 



By Frederick W. True, 



Head f'xrator, Department of Biologn, in chart/e. 



The South Carolina, Interstate and West Indian Exposition, held at Charleston, 

 South Carolina, opened Deeeniber 1, 1901, and closed May ol, 1902. The olijcct ol" 

 this exposition, as shown in its prospectus, was "to inaugurate new industries and 

 commerce in the South; to open up new foreign markets, particularly in the West 

 Indies; to I)egin the twentieth centur)M)f the Christian era with an exhibitimi of Ilu> 

 arts of peace; to develop the American culture of silk and tea; to promote the Soutii- 

 ern manufactures of cotton and iron; to establish new steamship lines from Cliarles- 

 ton, the central seaport of the great Southeast; to show the woi-ld the resom-ces 

 and attractions of the territory along the Southern seaboard and the advantages of 

 Charleston as a connecting link between the producers of the Southeastern States 

 and the IMississippi Valley on one side and the markets of the world on the other." 



In the sundry civil bill making provision for the expenses of the Government for 

 the fiscal year ending June 30, 1902, an item was inserted for a Government exhibit 

 at Charleston. This item was subsequently rejected, and as the Exposition would 

 open befoi-e the matter could again be brought to tlie attention of Congress tiie 

 director-general appealed to the President to order an exhiliit sent to Charleston 

 with the understanding that the exposition company w'ould meet all expenses. 



The President was favorably inclined toward this request, and by his direction tlie 

 Secretaries of the p]xecutive Departments instructed the proper ofheials to select from 

 the exhibits made at the Buffalo Exposition, and send to C-harleston, such objects as 

 would be appropriate for display in the latter ])lace. The Secretary of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution also received a request from the dii-ector-gent'ral that some ]iart of 

 the exhibits of the Institution and National IMusemn at the Buffalo Ex{)ositioii be sent 

 to Charleston at the expense of the exposition company, which recjuest, after due c( m- 

 sideration of all the circumstances, was granted. 



In his first message to Congress President Roosevelt mentioned the matter ol a 

 Government exhibit at Charleston, as follows: 



"The people of Charleston, with great energy and civic spirit, are carrying on an 

 exposition which will continue throughout most of the present session of ('ongress. 

 I heartily commend this exposition to the good will of the people. It deser\-es all 

 the encouragement that can be given it. The managers of the Charleston Exj)osition 

 have requested the ('al)inet officers to place thereat the Government exhibits which 

 have been at Buffalo, promising to pay the necessary exjienses. I have taken the 

 responsibility of directing that this l)e done, for I feel that it is due to Charleston to 

 help her in her praiseworthy effort. In my opinion the management should not be 

 required to pay all these expenses. I earnestly re(!0unnend that the Congress a])pro- 

 l)riate at once the small sum necessary for this inirpose." 



The space allotted to the Government exhibits was in the seiiucircular coloiuiades 

 connecting the large central building known as the Cotton Palace with two otiier 

 buildings— the Palace of Commerce and the South Carolina Building. These colon- 

 nades were originally designed to be open on the sides, l)ut in order to properly 

 house the Government collections they were enclosed and furnished with windows 

 and skylights. A very good exhibition space was thus obtained at a moderate 



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