The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1872-11-21
An Address By the United States Cen
tennial Commission.

To the People Of the United Ssates:
The Congress of the United States has enacted
that the completion of the One Hundrcttfh Year
| of American independence shall be celebrated by
an International Exhibition Of the Arts, Manu-
features, and Products of the soil and mine, To be
held at Philadelphia, in 1876, and has appointed
| Commission, consisting Of representatives from
each State and Territory, to conduct the celebra-
| ton.
Originating under the auspices Of the National
Legislature, controlled by National Commission,
and designed rs il is to "Commemorate the first
Century of our existence, by an Exhibition of the
Natural resources Of the Country and their de-
| velopment, and Of progress in those Arts
which benefit mankind, in comparison wiflfthoce
of older Nations it is to the people at large that
the Commission look for the aid which is necss-
sary to make the Centennial Celebration the
grandest anniversary the world has ever seen.
That the completion of the first century of our
existence should be marked by some imposing
demonstration is, We believe, the patriotic wish
Of the people of the whole country. The Con-
gress of the United States has wisely decided
that the Birthday Of the Great Republic can be
most fttingly celebrated by the universal colec-
tion and display of all the trophies of its pro-
gress. 1t is designed to bring together, within a
building covering fifty acres, only the varied
productions of our mines and of the soil, but
types OF all the intellectual trnmphs of our cit-
zens, specimens Of everything that America can
furnish, whether from tho brains or the hands of
the advancement Of which self governed peo-
pie is capable.
In this Celebration all nations will be invited
to participate; its character being International.
Enrope will display he arts and manufactures,
India her curious fabrics, while newly opened
China AID japan will lay bare the treasures which
for Centuries their ingeiiious people have been
peifccting. Each land Will compete in generous
rivalry for the palm Of superior excellence.
To this grand gathering every zone will con-
lint. hall
wanting; what the East lacks the West will sup
ply. Under roof will the South display in
rich inx,,riance her grbwing cottcm, and the
North in miniature, the ceascless machinery of
her mills converting that cotton intn cloth. Each
section of the globe will send its best offerings to
this exhibition, and each State of the Union, as a
member of one united body politic, will show to
her sister States and to the world, how much she
can add to.thc greatness Of the ration of which
she is u harmonious part.
To make the Centennial Celebration So, n
success as the patriotism anu the :: no of every
American dem:.hls will ;seqnire the co-operation
OF re pec",,cc "a the whole country. The United
S:ates Centennial Commission has received no
Government aid, such England extended to
her Worlds Fair, and France to her Universal
Exposition, yet the labor and responsibility i'm
posed upon the Commission is gra.: as in either
of those undertakings 1t is estimated that ten
millions of d",.ars will required, and this sum
rsngrcss ,ras provided shall be raised by stock
suDScrpflon, anu that the people shall have the
opportunity of subscribing in proportion to the
population of their respective States aud Terri
tories.
The Commission looks to the unfailing patriot
ism of the people of every section, to that
each contributes its share {" the expenses and
receives its share of the benefits of an enterprise
in which all are 50 deeply interested. 1t would
further earnestly urge the formation in each
State and Territory of u centennial organization,
which shall in time see that County associations
are formed, so that when the nations are gather
ed together in ls76 each Commonwealth can
view with pride the contributions she has made
to the national glory.
Confidently relying on thu Zeal and patriotism
ever displayed by our people in every national
undertaking, We pledge and prophecy, that the
Centennial Celebration will worthily show how
greatness, wealth and ,rnce can be foster
esl by such institutions as those which have for
one hundred years blessed the people of the
United States. JOSEPH X. HAWLEY,
President.
TrwIs WuS SuITIs Tr,unor,vv S.,.',