The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-14
The Centennial.

The American Textile Manufacturer of re-
cent date copied some charges against the
management OF the centennial exposition.
In its last issue it makes the following full re-
traction:
From personal interview with the proper
authorizes in Philadelphia. we have become
convinced of the thorough injustice OF the
charges copied in our last issue as to the mis-
management of this enterprise. The orig
inatOr of that article selected d payments made
tor special services, and for Certain dates, aud
published them as the current expenses of the
Commission. OF the eight employees named,
only three are now in service. or have b, en-
for the past year, and the salaries those
are twenty per cent less than cited, and no
more than the services rendered justly de-
mand. From a csreful examination OF the
subject. we must admit il there has been any
error on the part OF the Centennial managers
it has been on the side of economy. Our
people are not sufficiently informed, ara If
proper lecturers had been distributed through
the country the past year we are confident
public opinion would have shaped itself very
differently. Who are to blame in this mat
ter? Is it not Of national interest that this
should be great success, and that not only
our own people should have an opportunity
of witnessing the progress OF the past one
hundred wears, but also that the inhabitants
of the Old World should be invited to be
present, and view the result OF Republican
government in its effect upon manufactures,
mechanics, and Inventions? To bling about
this result, and, at the same time, to render
justice to those TO whom we owe our present
prosperity, it hes been decided to have this
International Exhibition. This decision was
unanimously arriv ID al by the representa-
tives of the people in Congress assembled,
endorsed by the United States Senate, and
signed by the President.
In another article, headed can interna-
tiona exhibition or nothing" it says:
Within the past month Mr.. Fish and the
Stale Department have been notified of the
ready acceptance by Sweden and Switzerland
of the polite invitation extended to par:ici-
pate in an International Exhibition in 1876
That our readers may fully understand the
position this nation will occupy should the
invitation be countermanded, We give
herewith a list of such governments as have
officially notified their acceptance: Germany,
Austria, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Mexico,
Switzerland, Ecuador, the Argentine Republic,
and the Sandwich Islands. 1t must be borne
in mind tnat this acceptance has carried with
it, in many instances, a large appropriation
on the part of the several governments for
the purpose OF covering the necessary expenses,
preliminary and otherwise. In addition,
prominent scientific men have been appoint
ed as commissioners to visit this country ,and
on the part of one government, the commits
sioner is to reside in Philadelphia prior to the
opening of tine exhibition. Could anything
be more dsgraceful to our national pride than
the announcement to these governments that
the whole thing was an error ON their part,
in entirely misunderstanding the meaning of
the Acts Of Congress, the Presidents procla
nation and the State Department letter. Is
it at all probable that these governments
thus insulted would at any future time co-op-
crate in an exhibition, however truthful the
official data might appear? We trow not. II
cannot be gansaid that this nation is in hon.
or bound to adhere strictly to the internation-
al character Of the exhibition. We have for
the past ten years, not only participated In all
international exhibitions, but our citizens
have received their fair share of medals, pri
es, and decorations Our commissioners
have been entertained by Emperors and
Kings, and our manufacturers and mechanics
have realized millions from the sale OF their
inventions. Evidence is not needed to prove
this fact. McCormick's and Woods reapers,
Rcmington's breech-loaders, Fairbanks scales
Herring's safe Sellers, machine tools, Howe's,
Wheeler d Wilson's. and Singers sewing-ma-
chimes, and Chickering's and Steinway's pi-
amos, are known from one end Of Europe ev-
en- into the larger cities of Asia. Aud now
we propose to deprive foreign nations OF the
privilege so freely offered to US end as freely
accepted. Will the paltry excuse that tho
Government of the United States cannot al
ford to expend three millions of dollars in the
next two years be a satisfactory argument to
such foreign nations as have already been led
to accept this invitation? Will it not lead TO
diplomatic difficulties that even the genius of
Mr.. Fish may not avert? Up to this date the
people of the United States have given but
little thought to an enterprise two years In
the future, but there is growing feeling that
the honor OF the nation is at stake, and a false
move on the part of those having this matter
in charge may bring upon them just pun
ishment.