The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-04-02
THE cENTEanlAL.

Thursday, April z, 1874
THE CENTENNIAL.
Il seems to b u Jet an open quss.
ton y to wAat vilfbs tho character Of
Tho celebration Of tho hundrsdth ami
ysssazy Of American 1ndependsnes-
whether il viii b national OF inter-
national; whether somsthing which
shah b characteristic Of The people, Of
this country and it, institution, or an
a&ssnps 1t . grand display in which
I'll ths satlons Of the world shall be
Invited and expected to participate.
The liberalization Of this question rests
with Congress. A bill h.. eeedr intro.
d1esd in the Senate apPropfiating
three millions Of dollars TO assist
in dsftaying the expenses of an
international exposition; and this in
tho fiss Of the iaot that % act of Con.
gr.s approved March s. 1871, ex.
ps,esly provides that "the United
States Shall not be liable for any OK.
psas.s attending such exhibition or by
ssasea Of The same"
.Shs1A this bill pass, the Govern.
1s.e, hsu that nsmsnt, would bs
compelled 70 assume tho responsibility
a ~ ssessss q fail1,s of The grand
sshsos. Thsss would b general
vssAisg Of hands o. the part Of States
anl iadividuGlA Thsrs would b no
sal as patriotic displays Of generosity.
II ysaA b regarded in Tie came light
q az sIhse Gevs,snsat eoatrsse-s
probable tAise for thoss Who he'd .
sAa,s,h IL .anagsusat, AID Of no
spssial ssasssa - anybody slss. The
snss.t slllsa fae By ths pssssat bin
vssA b BIT . izsstisa Of whsa wosld
- asksl fae ed .ssdsd, and it il vssy
A.oA . - dsobtsd Whistler he 0oes
h,bA expenditure Of noesy could
.aks q. is>ss,s.ioa.l expositioo aay-
hing iep q mere than On istszsatieaal
fil,ss. . hunilntsg - sxpsnsiva
Thew 90 May reasons Why Con.
sesss shssh not osks this sppsopsia-
tiss. TAs f.sa and NEST pso~issut u
that ~ eelebsatioa should not be in
tssnssissaL TO attempt anything Of
The kisd weuld be but to succeed in
making . very Indifferent imitation Of
The recent expeditions at P.1s and Vi
sssa. This eosntry has not yet sudi.
eisssly recovered from it, eh.grin over
NE failsle Of tho American depart.
nsnt st The hitter city to care to at-
tempt anything Of the same kind on .
sale . huudrsd-fold greater. A
worlds fair i not in harmony with our
institutions, even if, under the oiroum.
stances, it were within tho compass Of
possibilities. A second reason is, that
these ~ not the times for approprlat.
ing millions of money for any such
purpose. The nation 10 heavily in
debt !; business Of al kinds, paralyssd
By the panic, i bat slowly recovering ;
and there i every necessity for exerois-
log The most rigid economy in the dis.
bu,nnsoft the pubic funds. The amount
# money required 70 ave IN intsrns'
tieaal sxpas;sioo nom being N ute,
failure; would wsrk oata practical 10
lueiou Of the transportation problem, b,
giving = through water outlet from th'
grain fields of the West to the sea
Something Of this kind would be 4
much wiser and better use of the mon.
ey. There arc many other reasons Why
the Uuited States, on the occasion o.
this anniversary, should not attemp
the stupendous and hopeless task o.
srEasizing . great worlds fair, which
could vie With its immediate predeces.
soss only in the one item Of govern
nsnt expenditures. Tho last held, i
Inevitably would be The poorest; aut
q the close the people could oontem
plate With rueful faces tho shabby out
ssns Of III, their outlay. They woul'
led: that they had paid IN ., immens
Dsiss tee third-rats show. The reoo]
Aesion Il the 6nt Centennial would b.
shssisg source Of national nortide,
tioa.
BIT vAils, in the vsrJ nature q
Ting, ssy ssss.pt It IN iats,oation'
expesifiea oust ed i. failure, there
syssy ssesss .hy - exhibition whie
sletN b stsietly National should b
sglssieas sssss0. The expense Roul
b. be.,sht within . proper limit
Ths Govsssnsat would b relieved {
III g pess,ia'y responsibility, -
ShesA b, sad there would b no q
y vielsss ~ express provisions Of q
~ 4 Cosgrsss in order 70 secure .
eales1siatiea 1ee purpose not eooteu
Dlals1. A. The event 70 b eslsb1ats
i distsst;vsly American; - it ov'
- bril- y ! Psinsiph With which ver
lsa & ths sssioos Of the old world hav
ssy sympathy, even in The abstract, 90
which ooss a them hold in greater q
- abhorsass; 70 lst the exhibition
b. vhi6A thas event i to DO eommemoa
sssd b ditisssi,ely American. Lot
show The results Of American ente
pSiss, skin and invention the growt
sfssissss and .a.t in Amerioa ), Il
A.ssisaa System Of education; Amer
sssaps'itiss-ee the better features
%. politics; in svery way let it sho
he growth and progress and develo
asnt which the huodred.yea,s' atrit
efthn eoast,y has covered. Bot i