54 Wisconsin state agricultural society. 
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 
In my last report I called attention to this worthy and great 
National enterprise. I then believed, as I still do, that this great 
work should be pushed forward by the National Government. 
Congress has however created a Centennial Board of Finance, a 
corporate body, with power to issue stock to an amount of ten 
million dollars, in shares of ten dollars each, and this Board will 
urge upon the people of Wisconsin and all other states, to help 
bear the burden as well as to share the benefits of this interna¬ 
tional jubilee. I am glad to see the interest manifested in this 
exposition by our people. 
Wisconsin should feel a just pride in this anniversary r not only 
in exhibiting her rare agricultural and mineral wealth, her pro¬ 
gress in manufactures and works of art, but to show the rapid de¬ 
velopment of our young state, having an existence of only about a 
quarter of a century, in all that pertains to true pro¬ 
gress, and that our patriotic people feel a national pride 
in making this exhibition a success worthy of a great repub¬ 
lican people. I exceedingly regret that our legislature at its 
session jpst closed, did not enact a law creating a State Board of 
Managers to look after the interests of Wisconsin in connection 
with this celebration, men whose education, enterprise and long 
residence in the state had made them familiar with its resources 
and capabilities. The next legislature should act promptly in 
this matter, for our gallant young state with her vast resources in 
agriculture, mining, lumber, manufactures and commerce, cannot 
afford to let such an occasion pass without a full and complete 
representation. This, in my judgment, cannot and will not prop¬ 
erly be done except by the appointment of suitable persons, with 
moderate compensation for their services, whose duty it shall be 
to look after the interests of the state and her individual citizens; 
select the amount of space required to have Wisconsin exhibits 
favorably shown to the world, and generally to look after the wel¬ 
fare of our state, and see that she has a fair chance in this great 
World Show. 
