, 1874-02-16
VIENNA AND PHILADELPHIA

Card frotit dscris lansing, tho Western
N1annGcr Of tne Ccs,tens,ir.k Einnnccs.
10 The Editor Of 7hc Chicago Tribune:
sIn: was surprised to read the article in
TuE TRIBUNE this morning (the 1lth inst.) hear-
lug The caption oyor this lottor. ] was surprised
for the reason TINT heretofore your phpor, with
the press generally. had long since acknowledged
the propriety Of holding the celebration Of our
Centennial in tho City Of Philadelphia, as tho
city wherein the Declaration Of Independence was
written, aud promulgated, anu where The first
Congress- assembled, ind the first President
resided. I was alao surprised Tint just
at moment when subscriptions to tho stock
werc about beginning in this stato, you should
publish s'tch MI article, especially aH you have
heretofore acknowledged in your columns thnt
the amount OF stock asked to bo talten by tho
State Of Illinois WAS not equal to tho amount of
free donation sont by the City OF Philadelphia to
Tho City Of Chicago after tho great fire Of
October, 1871. Following, however, tAat you do
1eel an intorest IL Tue success of our proposed
ask Bpaoo for it i'll your columns. shall reverse
tho usual order Of things, aud begin my reply
with your closlt,g sentence:
lime. Why not abandon vain attempt ut Worlds
Exposition, alIa havc what is surely moro fitting
celebration Of our aational birthtiay-an exhibition
not do what Austrla Las failed to do. II It persists III
tho attept, We arc likely to lnye repetition Of what
Mr.. Adams calls tho Nettensl lasce at Vienna.
Tho Commission have no discretion In tho mat
ter. They are appointed by tho l'resident, under
MI not OF Congress-, appointed March 8, 1871.
Tho first section OF said act reads as follows:
DO e1,acted by tae Senate aud House OF Representa-
tises of lho United States IN Congress asscble That
all exhibition Of Amcrican and foreign artB prouctg
anl manufactures. shal DO held under tho auspices o
tae doyeE.pent Of te nnited stacs, IN tho oily Vi
Tho rrcpaout Of tho United gta1oy, BY
proclamation, tho 4th Of july 1879, us directed
by Ba,d net, has declared tint Btcll international
exhibition shai bo hold, that it sllall olon tho
10Th of April, 1876, aud coao the 1uth OF Ocobor
OF the BAin0 year. and cOInIlet,4ed IL to the na-
tjons Of tho eartb.
This faot having. thus bcon nettled and ad-
vortisod to tito world, the work begun must 20
or to t.'ccesa or ,; failure. To deprive oiir
cs9sns Mxpoe1o %a,d 9 tic
largo feature Of interest IN it. Tho exhibitions
! Of foreign nations, and Tho presence or their
people in their costumes, will afford an opportu-
nifty for the larger portion. OF our own citizens,
sentatlyca Of and productions from the nations
| Of the GARTH Tho oxpulse Of foreign exhibition,
docs not tall upon the Commission, as each
! country md State bear their own expenses, the
Commission providing only shelter, appropriate
/ space, and motive powor The extra expense,
| therefore, to tho Commlsaon will simply 10 tho
amount required to increase the alzo Of tho
building from what 1t would he necessary for a
strictly domestic exposition to ono large
enough to o,o hold ,,'i thoso Of other countries
! Exposition hns bern adoptod, tho working
/ plans ara nearly ready, aud, ii. fow daya, will
bo atvortisol Tor bids, Tho building viii bo nj
nearly le-proof ~ poBsl1lo. built Of brick, Iron,
proof. You say "Foroign doyornmonts wit
| do nothing unleBH We. "a 4 n0tion. invita- thom