, 1873-03-27
Centennial Commission.

been requested by Hon. Elwood Evans,
Centennial Commissioner for Washing
ton Territory, to call the attention of
our citizens to the measures being taken
to commemorate the one hundredth an
niversary of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, at Philadelphia, the place Of
its birth, in July, 1876.
At the request of patriotic citizens
representing every State and Territory
in the Union, Congress passed an act
which was approved March 3, 1871,
"To provide for celebrating the One
Hundres-,1 anniversary of American
Independence, by holding an Interna-
tional Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures,
and products of the Soil and Mine. in
the City of Philadelphia, and State of
Pennsylvania, in the year eighteen hun
dred and seventy-six."
This act provided for Commission,
to be appointed by the President, to
from each State and Territory, whose
functions shall continue until the close
of the exhibition, whose duty it shall be
to prepare and superintend the execu-
ton of plan for holding the exhibit
ton; that the United States shall not be
liable for any expenses attending such
exhibition, or by reason of the same.
After the preliminaries had been ar
ranged under this act; suitable site
had been fixed, and the State of Penn
sylvanla had guaranteed the erection of
suitable buildings, Congress by act ap-
proved June 1, 1872, chartered joint
stock company, under the name of Cen
tennial Board of Finance, with capital
stock of $1O,O0O,0OO both the incorpo-
rators and the stock to be apportioned
to the States and Territories according
to population. This company is to pro-
vide for the expenses Of the exhibition
and receive the profits accruing from
the same. This stock is believed by the
best financial men to be good invest
ment, financially considered only; that
the receipts will return the capital in
vested with large dividends, and were
it not for the limitation by apportion-
ment, the entire capital stock would be
taken by the capitalists. The act was
intended to prevent this Capitalization
of the management, and make the exhi
bition as broadly national as possible by
securing to the people of every section
the privilege of participating in its di-
rection. The subscriptions to this stock
in Philadelphia, as officially announced
in public meeting recently held in that
city, amounted to $1,737 $3.50.
The amount of stock apportioned to
Washington Territory is 621 shares at
$40 share. Local pride and patriotic
veneration for the honored name borne
by our future State, ought to be a sufi-
cient Indictment to secure the contribu-
ton of that amount, if there was no 9TH
er motive to prompt it. To permit the
only State or Territory bearing the name
of Washington to be unrepresented on
such an occasion, would proclaim our
people as thankless and degenerate de-
scendents of a noble ancestry.
Gov. Evans, in a letter recently pub
lished in the Courier, says:
"After travelling over mucch of the
Territory, and canvassing some, l think
no real difficulty exists in securing our
full quota of subscription. Quite
number have expressed desire to take
stock, and am happy to say, there is
lively interest in the success Of the en-
terprise. For reasons unknown to me,
subscription books have never been for
warded to this Territory, or if they have
l have failed to receive them or hear of
their arrival. The one hundred days
allowed for each State and Territory to
make up such quota has thus been de-
MED to us. This privilege, however,
can still be secured. I am equally per-
shaded that nothing has been lost by
the delay. as our allotment was small,
and the Commission will not be affected
by any delay to answer, and our people
will be more ready to act as the time
draws nearer.
While I have not subscription books
or certificates of stock to issue, still per-
sons desiring to subscribe, if they will
notify me as early as possible, l will en-
deavor to see their wishes graiifed in
due season. By the Rules of the Board
the terms of payment are most easy for
subscribers. Payment in full may be
made when the certificates are issued;
or if parties prefer to pay instalments,
20 per cent. may be paid at the time of
subscription, 20 per cent. on or before
May l, 1878, 20 per cent. On or before
July l. 1878, 20 per cent. on or before
September 1, 1873. and 20 per cent. on
or before November l, 1873. May I
through your columns, while ON this
subject. authorize George A. Barnes 4
Co.. at Olympia; Dextor Horton T. Co.,
Seattle; Hon. Samuel W. Brown, at Van
couver; William Stevens, at Walla Wal
la, to receive such subscriptions I think
can promise that the necessar, sub
scription books can be supplied at an
early day.
Not word need be added to remind
every citizen that contribution to this
olorious antarprize .is buf n resnonse tn