The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-17
FRIDAY, JUNE II, 1870.


THERE is such an obvious propriety in cele-
brating the centennial anniversary of our
national independence on the very spot where
the Declaration of Independence was signed,
that it might be imagined no serious opposi-
tion to such project could exist. Indeed, it
is probable that no objections would be made
if it were proposed merely to hold grand
anniversary Festivals but the project of an
international exposition which has been
started has served to excite the rivalry of
number of cities that hope to be benefited by
the eclat of such an occasion and by the
crowds of visitors that will undoubtedly
attend The question, therefore, of holding
the proposed centennial in Philadelphia turns
quite as much on the facilities we can afford
in the way of suitable location for the expo
sition buildings, the receipt and storage of
goods, and the comfortable accommodation
of an immense concourse of strangers, as it
does upon the fact that the Declaration of In
pendence was signed here, and that Indepen-
dence Hall is still standing, an object of reve-
renee, in our midst. Fortunately for the pro-
prieties of the occasion, there is no place in
TIE whole United States that is better adapted
Worlds Fair. Our noble Park will
give ample space for all the build,
ings that may be required, while there
is no city in the Union that can afford better
or more ample accommodations to as many
people as may choose to attend from every
quarter of the globe. Goods of every de-
scription from abroad can be landed directly
at our wharves, and transported without
difficulty to the place of exposition, while
direct communication with every section of
our country gives all the facilities that
could be desired for collecting specimens
of national industry and art.
1t is, of course, to be expected that some
grumbling will be done by the people of
other cities in case Congress should finally
determine to hold an international exposition
in Philadelphia, but the same would occur if
any other city were to be selected, and all we
can ask in the matter is fair and impartial
consideration of our claims The Committees
on Manufactures and Foreign Relations of
the House of Representatives are now
in the city, according to an ap-
pointment made some months ago. In his
original letter of invitation Mayor Fox re-
quested the committees to visit Philadelphia
to make quiet and unostentatious examina-
tion of its localities, industries and other
facilities. There is no necessity to go outside
of this programme, and we can well permit
the visitors to judge for themselves without
endeavoring to influence them by any ex-
travagant demonstrations of welcome. The
advantages of Philadelphia have only to be
seen to be recognized, and any stranger
visiting Fairmount Park cannot but acknow-
ledge that there is not a finer location on this
continent for an exposition building We
anticipate that this visit of the committees of
Congress will finally settle the whole question
in favor of Philadelphia and that measures
will be adopted very shortly preparatory to
the great event to come off on the 4th of
July, 1876. That date is some years distant
yet, it is true, but it is proposed to make this
the most imposing anniversary celebration
that has ever taken place in the worlds his
tory, and it is none too soon to take the first
steps towards it.