National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-07
PHILADELPHIA AND THE GEN
TERMINAL

We understand that gentleman repre-
senting the Centennial Commission yester-
day laid before the Senate Committee on
Appropriations statement of the financial
condition of that organization, and that it
produced quite favorable impression. 1t
is very evident that Congress has generally
reached the conclusion that there is no
escape from the international feature incor-
porated into this great memorial event by
the two acts of Congress and by the subse
quent proclamations of the President and
the formal invitation to foreign Powers by
the Secretary Of State. Nine Of these Pow
ers have already accepted these invitations,
and others are preparing to do SO, the only
hesitation growing out of the apprehension
that Congress may withdraw its original
pledgean recall the Invitations. Whatever
the position of Senators and Representa-
tives may have been, there is no denying
the fact that as the case stands, there can be
no withdrawal without placing the Govern
ment and the people in very humiliating
attitude before foreign Powers. Mean
while, as we have already shown, the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania have moved with un-
precedented generosity in subscribing an i'm
mense amount of money, so as to make
it certain that nothing more than the
50, 900, 900 asked from the United States
will be needed to make the Centennial a
magnificent success. The correspondence
on file at Philadelphia from citizens travel
ing abroad, and from the agents of the COM
mission, and from distinguished foreigners,
shows that this celebration has excited uni
versal interest in the Old World. There
can be no such thing as failure in view of
the active sympathy of the President and
the solemn acts of the representatives of the
people. England, it is now known, stands
ready to join America in what will be not
only q work of peace, but of mutual COM
mercial advantage, and Austria, Italy and
France will soon follow the lead of Ger
many, who has already responded to the
cordial invitation of the American Execu-
tive. The facilities for inter-communica-
ton between our own and other coun-
tries are so numerous and so reasonable,
and the American people have become
such objects of interest to all foreigners,
whether considered in q political or
moral or social or commercial sense,
that it is easy to predict an immense dis
play of works of imagination and industry,
from the highest objects of art to the new
est and most valuable inventions in every
of mechanics. The idea that
the close of such century as the present
should not be marked by some brilliant and
unique remembrance might well be quoted
to our disadvantage. 1t would be to say
that we were ashamed of our marvellous
civilization and growth. Remembering, as
all observers must remember, that our men
of enterprise and genius have been well
coined and honored at all the foreign inter-
national expositions, and that many Ameri-
can inventions are now almost universally
utilized in Europe, and that hundreds and
Of our people are constantly
going there on business and pleasure, it
would seem simple justice that we should
open our doors on that day, which is most
sacred to us, not simply to greet the stranger
and the foreigner, and to reciprocate their
kindsttentions to our own people, but that
we should proudly show to them the proofs
of our own skill in practical science, our
marvellous advance in population, the as
tonishing increase Of our resources, and the
comfort and happiness of our
citizens. If Philadelphia had not already
raised princely sum and laid it at the feet
of the National Government there might be
some pretext for hesitation; but now that
more than one half of the money necessary
has been raised by that city and the great
State of Pennsylvania alone, there ought to
be no further delay, but prompt and gener-
Gus action. so that the work might be
speedily begun and vigorously prosecuted.