The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-20
MONDAY. JUNE 20, 1870.
THE AMERICAN CENTENNIAL.

THE reports of the proceedings connected
with the reception of the Congressional dele
cation which visited this city to inquire into
the propriety of officially designating Phila-
delphia as the proper place for great ma
tional centennial celebration in 1876, contain
two things worthy of special notice. We re-
fer to the declaration of Mr.. Bingham that
the celebration should be held here because,
among other reasons, Philadelphia was 'fore-
most in its industries of all the cities in the
civilized world" and to the significant
announcement by the President of
the Union League that the energies
of that institution were TO be
exercised hereafter in behalf of this great
State of Pennsylvania, and of the great metro
polls, Philadelphia" Mr.. Bingham, with the
genius of true orator, condensed in single
sentence a forcible presentment of valid
claim of this city to pre-eminence, and an
argument which, when viewed in connection
with the patriotic associations to which he
had previously referred, gives invincible
force to the proposition that Philadelphia
shall be selected as the place of the centennial
celebration. There is certainly no city on
this continent, and we know of none
in the whole world, where as great a variety
of skilled industries are successfully prose-
cuted. In special departments Philadel-
phia may be surpassed by this or that Anne
rican or European manufacturing centre, but
it would be vain to seek for any one metropo-
lis which concentrates to an equal extent all
the intricate forms of modern industry. Here
manufactures of textile fabrics, including
silk, as well as cotton, woollen, and mixed
goods, are located side by side with
the workers of all metals, and
our manufacturers are equally ready to fur
nish silk ribbons or locomotives, carpets or
iron ships, stockings or salamander safes, and
to crown their triumphs by making the best
machinery and tools for the construction of
all descriptions of manufactures chat can be
found in the whole world. No one city in
the United States can approach Philadelphia
in the completeness and variety of its pro-
ducts, nor in the capacity to furnish, by its
home display, a splendid illustration of the
industrial progress and position of the United
States. For more than century large
portion of the capital and in
tellect of Philadelphia has con-
stantly been endeavoring, in an unobtrusive,
but steady and spirited manner, to naturalize
upon the banks of the Delaware all the i'm
portant forms of industry known to the Old
World and these efforts have been crowned
with marked success. If trade and commerce
have been partially neglected, it has only been
because the nobler task of creating objects of
beauty and utility, and of thoroughly deve-
Looping the natural resources of this great
Commonwealth, have absorbed SO large share
of the attention of our citizens. While great
industrial expositions may facilitate COM
merce, their immediate success hinges upon
the display of the products of the artist, the
artisan, and the man afacturer, and in the roll
of the worlds industrial army the men who
make superior articles stand far above those
who merely buy and sell them; so that, as the
manufacturing metropolis of the nation,
Philadelphia has far higher claims to recogni-
tion for the special purpose under discussion
than any commercial depot.
The declaration of the President of the
Union League that its energies would be de-
voted hereafter to the Advancement of local
interests furnishes sure guarantee that, if
Philadelphia is selected as the site of q ma
tional celebration, or if any similar move
ment involving local interests is set on foot,
all the preliminary arrangements will be con.
Quoted with hberality, skill, and efficiency
If the Union League displays in behalf OF
our industrial interests the same zeal il
manifested in support of the national cause
during the war, magnificent representation
of all that our city has done or is capable oi
doing may be confidently anticipated.
MR. ARERMANS RECORD.