The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-08

lay the axe to the very root of the prevailing
system. If all forms of special legislation
are imperatively prohibited, with the under
standing that local acts which involve an
appropriation of money may be legalized if
they are approved by popular vote of the
Taxpayers directly concerned at a general
election, there will be some prospect that the
public interest may receive a decent degree
of respect and consideration from future Legis-
latures. 1t has also been suggested that the
Legislature should meet but once every three
years, unless convened moro frequently by
the Governor, that no bill shall be passed
without recording the ayes and noes, and that
the Governor shall not sign any bill until it
has been published for stated period in the
newspapers of the county to which it applies.
One thing is painfully evident-that the pre-
sent practice of vesting legislative powers,
which in many respects are well-nigh abso-
Lutte, in such bodies of men as are now sent to
Harrisburg, is fraught with great and ever
increasing danger; and it has become the most
imperative duty of the time to avert, 10y effec-
tive means, the annual torrent of crude, un-
just, unwise, and mischievous legislation.
OUR CENTENNIAL ANNTVERS1RY.
MAYOR Fox, Mr.. John S. Shoemaker, chair
man of the Joint committee of Councils, and
Mr.. William Sellers, chairman of the COM
mittee of the Franklin Institute, have ex-
tended, on behalf of the citizens of Philadel-
pbia, an invitation to the Committee on
Commerce and Manufactures of Congress to
visit thisscity for the purpose of seeing for
fharnCa1unC xubot tho oil
by Philadelphia for holding such celebration
of the centennial anniversary of The signing
of the Declaration of Independence as has
been proposed. The committee have ac-
cepted tn invitation and will make their visit
as soon as their leisure will permit.
The claims of Philadelphia in this mat
ter, as being the place where the Declaration
was signed, are so indisputable that there
ought to be no difficulty whatever in inducing
Congress to authorize grand international
exhibition to be held here on the 4th of July,
1876, and we have no doubt that
the proper action will be taken in the matter
Not only is the city where Independence
Hall still stands, an object of veneration the
most suitable place for such an exhibition, on
account of its historical associations, but
there is no place upon the American CONT
nent that offers more facilities, from what
ever point Of view the subject may be con-
sidered. We have, convenient to the built
up portions of the city, ample ground for all
the buildings that may be required for a
great exposition of the arts and manufactures
of the world, while the largest ships laden
with goods can discharge their cargoes upon
our wharves within convenient transporta-
ton distance of any place where it may be
decided to locate the structure to be devoted
to the exhibition. We have also ample room
for the accommodation of the host
of strangers that will be expected
to attend, without crowding them to-
gether to such an extent that all the plea
sure of their visit will be destroyed. The
advantages of Philadelphia in this matter will
doubtless receive the candid consideration of
the Committee on Commerce and Manufac-
lures, and we hope they will induce Congress
to take appropriate action on the subject at
an early day. Although several years will
elapse before the celebration takes place, it is
not too early to begin making preparations,
and if the plans are all fully
matured and the location definitely
decided upon now, the exhibition will be
more likely to prove a brilliant success in
every particular than if all the preliminaries
are put off until the last moment. The cele-
bration of our centennial national anniver-
sary will be a great event, not only to the
people of the United States, but to the world,
and we owe it to ourselves and to those who
will come from all parts of the world to par
ticipate in our rejoicings that the occasion
shall be one to be remembered with pleasure
by all concerned in it.
GOOD-BY ANDY.