The Portland daily press., 1874-01-24
..c - ~ - ~ u B.
The Centennial Exhibition.

the House the other day over the Centennial
Industrial Exhibition, we had as well come
to the conclusion that the nation is in for it
and must pay the expenses. It is vain to
imagine that after the fearful gyrations of
Our American Bird on that occasion, the
country can escape the responsibility of the
Centennial Exhibition. If only Gen. But
ler's heart had swelled with a patriotism that
his lips could not repress, or DR.. Kelley, jeal-
Gus Of pig iron and confident that Pennsyl-
vania is the country, alone had urged the
claims of the Centennial on the same ground
that he would increase the tariff on iron, we
might hope to escape; but now that straight
forward Joe Hawley of Connecticut tells us
that country which spends sixty millions
annually on the enginery of war, can az
ford to spend three or four millions once a
century on the arts of peace, and Mr.. Frye
of Maine, pledges us to the great national
show, aud Fernando Wood, who, as Mayor
of New York, wanted in 1851, to take that
city out Of the Federal Union and make it an
independent state, has renewed his allegiance
to the Union as it is, and the South and the
West with one voice, declare for Fourth OF
July celebration such as has never been heard
Of, there is no help for it; and those of US
who were inclined to sympathize with Mr.
Hale had much better make the best of it
and take hand in the Centennial Jubilee.
We may never have another opportunity.
To be sure Pennsylvania, when the Gen.
tennial Commission was created by Congress,
practically promised to assume the entire re-
sponsiblity, raise the money and make it a
success; but this remote participation of Con-
gress made the nation responsible in the eyes
If 49, ----ai- -
the friends of the Exhibition UPON the ma
tional treasury, prepare us for their final ap-
peal for several millions to prevent failure
Of an enterprise that involves the national
honor. Fortunately the demand for an ap.
preparation will not be made for year OF
two, when we may hope that the national
treasury will be in better condition to meet
the expenditure. s.,,q,s e5 s5.4 g.s
Although the time Of the exhibition is more
than two years distant, no time is to be lost
in making arrangements to make it success;
and this can only be done by every State at
once taking adequate measures to secure
full representation of its industry and skill.
Gov. Dingley has called the attention of the
Legislature to the Exhibition, and advised
some action to the end that Maine may contrib
ute to what must be made the greatest indus
trial exhibition ever witnessed. fre-
The Maine Commissioners, Messrs. Nye
and Kimball, are thoroughly informed re-
specting the plans OF the Commission, and
we trust that they, in connection with the
Legislature, will take measures to interest
our artizans and manufacturers during the
present session. Mr.. Kimball has carefully
prepared an address setting forth the plans
of the Commission, which it would be well
for him to deliver in the Representatives hall
at Augusta. We have not consulted him
with reference to this suggestion, but as
Maine, with all the other States, is clearly in
for the success of the Centennial Exhibition,
We take the privilege of making move from
the floor. sl..-i8f} lul-'
The annual circular of a leading New York
mercantile agency recounts the financial
wrecks occasioned by the late panic, from
which it appears that the number of business
houses that were either forced into bankrupt
cy or suspended was 51s3, with liabilities
amounting in the aggregate to 1928, 499, 0OO
This is an increase of $107 ,443, 900 over 1872,
when there were 1869 failures. The large
proportion of ST. 200, 900 is chargeabls to the
City of New York, while in the rest OF the
country the increase was only $4,000, 0O0
The circular also says that "while the failures
of the year are more numerous than usual, it
must be borne in mind that the number of
persons in business has largely increased
This is shown by the fact that we now report
fraction over 100000 parties or firms in ac-
tive business, as against 431 900, three years
ago. The increase in the number of failures
is not therefore largely in excess of the pro-
portionate increase in the number of those
engaged in trade. That only 5000 failures
occurred among SOC, 900 traders during twelve
months is not greater. ratio than in any 9TH
er country where credit is an element in bust
ness" .u'iI7as'f s-'e